Masks
by Clockwork Soul
Summary: Yugi Motou was without friends her whole life, so she put up a mask. But, when she solves the mysterious Sennen Puzzle, she regains lost memories of her past life, and friends who would never abandon her! Fem!YugixYami, Fem!RyouxBakura. Full summ. inside.
1. Echoes of the Past!

_**Read the A/N! Dont Skip it!**_

**A/N:** Yeah, I know. This is the second time I've taken down my previous YGO story and posted a new one. Well, the reason I took it down this time, would be because it had no plot at all, and I had no idea what I was going to do with it. ._.

I'm not sure if I'll have Nafre, my OC, in this one. I might.

Doubtful, though, even though I have an amazaaaah (LK! 3) plot deal-y for her in the Dartz ark.:3 I'll figure it out. Post your opinions, though, if you want.

Ah, and later on, maybe in a sequel, I don't know for sure, but I **WILL** make this into a Harry Potter x-over. I just love the idea of the Shadow Mages (Yugi, Malik, Ryou, and their yamis) clashing with the modern magic. I wish there were more of them, just like I wish there were more fem!Yugi. XD

**Important:** This story is Alternate Universe. That mean I can do whatever the hell I want and you have to suck it up and deal.

**Also Important:** **Yugi** is a **GIRL** in this fic, which, in my opinion, is total win-cakes. Guess who else is a girl? Our favorite she-male, **Ryou Bakura**! ^.^

Yes, I went there.

The yamis are all the same gender, though. ^.^

Also, there will probably be Anzu bashing. o.o; It wont be to bad, though.

**Summary: **Yugi Motou was without friends her whole life. But, when she solves the mysterious Sennen Puzzle, she regains lost memories of her past life, and friends who would never abandon her! But, good things always come with a price, and in to form of Sennen Item bearers, past grudges, evil souls, and an ancient evil!

**Parings:** Yugi x Yami, Ryou x Bakura, Malik x ?, Jounouchi x Mai, Kaiba x Shizuka, Miho x Honda, and if I decide to put her in here, Nafre x ?

Hah! That blue-haired girl Miho that vanished from everyone's mind shall be in this story! Bwahahaha! Take that Kaiba! I screwed the rules better then you ever did with your three Blue Eyes summon in one turn!

**Yami/Hikari Speech: **Yugi- _\Like this\_ Yami-_/Like This/_ Ryou- _(Like This)_ Bakura- _((Like This))_ Malik- _[Like This]_ Marik- _[[Like This]]_

_Nafre: Get on with the story!_

_Yugi: I'm... a girl?_

_Clockwork Soul: Yes Yug', you is a girl._

_Yami: ...Win-cakes._

_Clockwork Soul: I know right! =^.^= So Yams will be the Pharaoh, and Yug' the Pharaoh-ette! :D_

_Yugi: ..Traitorous-_

_Yami: Now now, Aibou, your supposed to be the hikari! No cussing for you! ^.^_

_Yugi: And yet, I'm a slightly cold, indifferent girl in this story._

_Clockwork Soul: That'll melt. Kind of like Kaiba's heart when he meets a certain nearly-blind Shizuka. ^.^_

_Kaiba: …_

_Shizuka: o.o … =^.^=_

_Jou: Stay away from my sister, Rich Boy!_

_Kaiba: Make me, Mutt._

_Malik: Whew, you nearly made me a girl too, Soul! o.o; Good thing you figured out it wouldn't make much sense if Marik was a boy when he was technically born from me._

_Clockwork Soul: Still thinking about it, Ma-chan. I plan on letting the readers have a big say in this. _

_**You hear that, readers? Review whether or not you want Malik Ishtar, our favorite psychopath, to be female and I'll take your votes into account!**_

_Marik: **Malik, a girl? ...Mwahahaha! ...Why bold?**_

_Malik: It's for your demonic voice._

_Marik: **...Ah.**_

_Nafre: Why not Malik x Marik?_

_Clockwork Soul: You know I swore to never write Yaoi or Yuri. **NOT** that I have anything against homosexuals—I have quite a few lesbian/bi/gay friends. I just don't like to write it._

_Nafre: Understandable... What about Malik x Nafre? * Wink Hint Wink*_

_Clockwork Soul: ...May be a bit too Mary Sueish, but I'll think on it._

_Nafre: Woot!_

_Ryou: ...SHE-MALE? I am NOT a she-male!_

_Bakura: Ahhahahahah!_

_Clockwork Soul: Sorry, Ry! And, 'Kura-kun, quit laughing at him... her. You'll thank me later._

_Clockwork Soul: Anyways... HEY! EVERYONE! Do the disclaimer!_

_**YGO Gang: **_**Clockwork Soul does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! If she did, then Yugi would probably be a girl, because, as ****stated before, that is just win-cakes. Oh, and she'd hire Little Kuriboh to think up any jokes. And maybe do voices. Except Yami. Because Dan Green is amazaaaah. ^.^**

_Clockwork Soul: ...This is my longest A/N ever. o.O Ah, well. -Goes back to solving a Rubik's Cube.-_

_**Masks**_

_A **Yu-Gi-Oh!** Fanfic_

_By **Clockwork Soul**_

_**Chapter 1: Echoes of the Past! The First Yami no Game!**_

_**~Egypt, The Palace, Unknown Time~**_

_Egypt was burning._

_Darkness loomed over the city, the burning buildings giving off the only light, giving the city a horrific beauty. In the darkness, two large red eyes where the only thing noticeable of the monster who did this._

_The Pharaoh stared out over his city. He had tri-colored hair that spiked up wildly, black for the most part, but for the ends, which were crimson, like his eyes, with golden bangs, with three golden lightning-like pieces that traveled upwards. A golden, upside down pyramid hung around his neck._

_A young woman came up beside him, also, with long tri-colored hair that hung down behind her, hers being black with amethyst tips, and golden bangs that framed her face. She had bright amethyst eyes, and a golden necklace with the Eye of Horus on it hung on her neck._

_The Pharaoh opened his mouth to say something, but the woman beat him to it._

"_I'm going with you." She said in a soft voice, calm despite the burning city before them. He turned to her, surprised._

"_But-"_

"_No 'buts'. I'm going with you." She turned to him, and smiled, grasping his hand. The Pharaoh sighed and smiled ruefully._

"_I never could argue with you, Game."_

_She chuckled at the nickname, "No, I don't suppose you could, love."_

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 6:30 AM~**_

Yugi Motou woke with a start as her alarm clock suddenly blared to life. She jumped up and landed in an ungraceful heap on the floor. Her purple sheet flew into the air before falling to the floor, covering her completely.

She groaned, ("My face...") and felt on her desk for the alarm, eventually hitting the button and silencing it. She struggled against the sheet for a moment before tossing it into the air (again) and stood quickly. The sheet fell onto the bed in an odd little way, making it look strangely like her grandfather. (1)

Weird.

She diverted her attention from the sheet and to her mirror. _That dream again.._, she thought. She looks exactly like the young woman, from her hair to her eyes. She shook her head and ran a hand though her golden bangs before grabbing some clothes and walking out her door to the bathroom.

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 7:38 AM~**_

A Yugi clothed in a amethyst shirt with a black leather jacket, black skirt, and black leather boots with amethyst/black striped tights, and various leather buckles ran out of the Kame Game Shop, "Late late late late! I'm gonna be late! Bye Jii-chan!" She grabbed her black/amethyst messenger bag and slung it around her shoulder before leaving.

_**~Japan, Domino High School, 12:00 PM~**_

Yugi sighed and sat down at the base of an old tree outside the school, that was a little ways away from the main group. She pulled out a cheese-and-vegetarian-bacon sandwich and a Coke from her bag for lunch. She rummaged around a bit before pulling out a golden box that had hieroglyphics and an Eye of Horus on it. She opened the box to reveal several oddly shaped pieces of gold, and one lump of completed pieces that looked vaguely like the corner of something. "Something you can see... but not see..." She murmured.

She took a drink of her Coke and picked up the completed piece intending to start working on it again. But a hand reached out and grabbed the box before she could pick up a piece. She looked up to see one Jounouchi Katsuya. She groaned inwardly, while outwardly schooling her features into a look of frosty indifference, with an edge of annoyance.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? 'Something you can see but not see'. Feh."

Yugi twitched slightly, and stood, "Give. It. Back."

He sneered at her, "Yeah, what're you going to do about it? You just sit around playing games, you really need to get out more."

"Didn't you hear her? She said give it back." Yugi swung her icy glare to the newcomer, looking up at Ushio, who towered above both of them. She twitched again.

"What the hell do _you_ want?" She asked, her voice layered in ice. Ushio—the self-proclaimed bodyguard of the bullied. But, in Yugi's eyes, and the eyes of a select few others, _he_ was the true bully. Yugi never considered Jounouchi a true bully, or his friend Honda Hiroto.

She just mainly considered them annoyances. She knew they would never stoop so low as to hit a girl, but Ushio? She was slightly weary of him. He was known to have beat up girls when they didn't live up to his 'bodyguard' fee.

And now it seems like she'd be his next target.

Damnit all.

"To protect you from this bully, of course." Ushio said haughtily, bringing her out of her musings. Yugi crossed her arms and leaned against the tree. Jounouchi shuddered under the gaze of Ushio, and quickly gave Yugi her box back, muttering, "Not worth it.." He quickly vanished from sight. Ushio swung his gaze to her.

"Sorry to inform you, Eyebrow-_sama_," Yugi said mockingly, as she put the lump of completed pieces inside the box and closed the lid, placing it in her bag, "But I'm not being _bullied_. Just annoyed." She quickly stalked away, thoroughly put out at how her lunch was ruined.

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 5:32 PM~**_

"...'Air Fresheners are Sexy'? What the hell is this title generator on? And where can I get some?" (2)

"'Italians Can Save the Universe'... Damn right they can. Italians are awesome." (3)

"'Quest for The Shins'... Once again, what the hell?"

"'Wet Doughnut'... Huh, now I'm hungry."

Yugi stretched in her desk chair as it rolled away from the laptop and the Random Title Generator that she had looked up for the hell of it. (4) She stood and walked to the kitchen, where her grandfather was. She moaned dramatically, "Foooood... Must... Eat..!" Sugoroku laughed and pushed over a plate of leftover salad. She grinned and dug in happily.

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 9:12 PM~**_

Yugi walked into her room, shutting the door behind her. She quickly dug out the golden box she had at lunch, and set it on the table. She stared at the box for a moment, reading the hieroglyphs like her grandfather taught her to.

_'Whoever solves this shall inherit my dark knowledge and power.'_

The Sennen Puzzle. The Gods Puzzle. The Millennium Puzzle.

From ancient Egypt, the Sennen Puzzle was found in the tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh, by her grandfather. Some time later, he gave it to her on her birthday when she was seven, and its been eight years. She was 15 now.

She sighed and removed the lid from the box, setting to work on the Puzzle once again, her mind wandering.

She had never told anyone exactly _why_ she worked so hard on the Puzzle. Her main reason, was because her grandfather told her something, the day he gave it to her.

"_Here you go, Yugi-chan! It's an ancient game!"_

"_Really, Jii-chan!"_

"_Haha, yep! But there's a catch!"_

"_Oh?"_

"_If you solve this, you might just get your wish granted!"_

"_Really!"_

The memory echoed in her head.

The Wish.

For some reason, she still believed that. Maybe it's just exactly _what_ her wish was.

She wanted a friend.

A true friend.

She'd never had one.

Before, she was a kind, sweet, innocent, light-filled girl. But people always picked on her, deemed her weak and everyone who didn't avoided her because of the bullies. Eventually, no one tried anymore, and she grew up alone.

She had turned to games for solace, and found she was a master at any type, strategy games more then others. But, as she grew older, she started to put up a mask. One of cold indifference and Gothic tendencies. She started wearing less bright colors and more black. The next time anyone even _attempted_ to pick on her, they'd hit a solid wall of ice and insults.

And yet, she longed to destroy that mask, she really did. It was against her nature, which was kind and gentle. She was a vegetarian, even—she hated to hurt anything! But, she knew that if she did, it would be more harm then good.

So her wish?

She wished for a true friend, one who could destroy that mask. One who would always be there.

Suddenly, light exploded in the room. She looked down in shock at the completed Puzzle. It was in the shape of a golden, upside-down pyramid, with the Eye of Horus on the front, and a loop on the top.

_She'd done it..._

_**~Unknown Place, Unknown Time~**_

Yugi groaned as she sat up in a bright room. She glanced around.

It had white walls and amethyst carpet. Games of all types were scattered on the floor, and a large bookshelf full of books dominated one wall. A black door that had a strange, ice-blue mask on it was directly opposite of her. She was sitting on a decently sized bed with white sheets. Opposite of the bookshelf, was a row of pictures, all empty except one, which surprisingly had her grandfather in it.

It all seemed... very familiar, yet she knew she had never seen this room before. Her attention went back to the black door with the mask on it. She stood up and walked tentatively toward it. She stared at the mask for a moment before opening the door slowly.

She was met immediately with the sight of another door. This was was made of metal, and had the golden Egyptian Eye of Horus on it, with gold veins pointing toward the Eye. The light from her room spilled out into the hallway, forcing the shadows back.

The door across from her creaked slightly as it opened, darkness pouring out and clashing magnificently with the light from her room, before the two seemed to coil around each other calmly. But Yugi was to busy to notice this, as she was currently staring into familiar crimson eyes.

_He is... exactly... Exactly! Like the man in my dreams..._

The man across from her did indeed look exactly like him, from his hair to his eyes. He was wearing a black shirt, with leather pants, shoes, and jacket. He was staring at her, just as astounded as she. She was the first to speak.

"...I... know you... Who are you?" He continued to stare at her, before speaking in a deep baritone.

"I... do not remember... But, I know you, too... Who are you?"

"...Yugi."

She watched as a spark of recognition flashed in his eyes as they widened, "Yugi... Game..." He murmured, raising his hand and catching one of her gold bangs between his fingers, "I... remember... vaguely.."

He watched as that same spark of recognition flashed in her eyes as he mentioned the nickname. She lifted her own hand and put it over his, "I... I remember... too... but.. I still don't know your name... Why can't I remember your name?" She muttered, closing her eyes as a strange feeling of sadness washed over her, and flashes of memory passed by in her head.

"_My name is Yugi, my prince." She said, bowing slightly. _

_The prince smiled, "Yugi? Nice name. I take it you like games?"_

_She smiled brightly, "Quite so. Do you?" _

"_Yes. Want to play a game?" Yugi grinned, always ready for a challenge._

"_...Why is it that you always manage to beat me, Game?" He moaned as she beat him, yet again._

"_Well, maybe its your lack of strategy, skill, and my own Ra-blessed skill." She said, smirking._

"_Seems my little Game is modest." He deadpanned._

"_Yep." She laughed, him joining in soon afterward._

"_..Game?"_

"_Neh.." She groaned as she cracked open an eye, looking at him as he laid next to her on the grass, "What?"_

"_...Thanks.." She blinked at him._

"_For what?"_

"_For not liking me just because I'm the prince."_

_She rolled her eyes at him and rolled over, laying on her side, her head on his arm, "Well, your welcome."_

_He chuckled and pulled her closer. She leaned up and placed a light kiss on his lips._

Yugi stood there, staring at him, tears falling down her face as the memories flashed by. Her eyes widened as he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. She wrapped her own arms around him, and somehow, it felt _right_.

"I'm sorry.." She muttered into his shirt. He smiled, even though she couldn't see it.

"And why, pray tell, are you sorry?"

"...I cant remember your name..." She didn't know why that bothered her so much.

"Don't be," He said bluntly, "I cant remember it either. But... You may call me Yami."

"Yami... Oddly, I think it fits." The newly dubbed Yami laughed.

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 9:16 PM~**_

Yugi gasped and jerked up straight as she returned from their 'soul rooms' as Yami had called it. She glanced at the clock, expecting it to be hours later, but, surprisingly, it read only four minutes later.

Strange, it felt like they had talked for hours.

Yami had explained all he knew, which, admittedly, wasn't much. Mostly, he knew only darkness from his time in the Puzzle. He, like her, remembered only flashes of his past.

He remembered all about the Shadows, though, an ancient, almost sentient magic that was used by the higher-ups of Egypt. You could play games using them, called the Yami no Games, or Shadow Games, where if you cheated, you immediately got a Penalty Game. These could be minor or full-blown tearing apart of the soul, and the one who called the Yami no Game would be the one to choose the Penalty Game if they cheated (For those who know enough about the Shadows to call the Game usually know _not_ to cheat, unless they are just foolish), or the victor of the Game would chose, which, admittedly, was usually the one who called the game.

In a Shadow Game, you could use it to A) Judge a persons soul, as it was normally used, as the Game brought out a persons darkness, B) Bet. These could range from small bets, like a piece of candy, or large bets, like a persons soul, or C) They could be used to battle fairly. It was in these battles that the loser normally faces a Penalty Game, depending on the nature of the Shadow Game and the victor. The Shadows have also been known to protect and help their masters using a more tangible form of the magic, allowing things such as manipulation of shadows and transportation though their realm, known as the Shadow Realm, which, is very dangerous to mortals, unless you are, as Yami called it, a Shadow Mage.

Apparently, Yami was the prince of Egypt, later to be the Pharaoh, and she his lover. That sounded right, to her, as her own snatches of memories and dreams she'd had in the past told her that. She had (unhelpfully) supplied that her grandfather thought the Puzzle was as old as 3000 years old.

That really didn't explain why she was there, though.

_/Reincarnation, maybe?/_

Yugi jumped at the sound of Yami's voice in her head. He laughed, _/Relax, Game. I can hear your thoughts, and you can hear mine./_

_\...I'm not very reassured by that.\ _She felt him mentally smirk—which, by the way, was _weird_. _\Anyways.. Reincarnation? You really think that I'm the reincarnation of your lover?\_

_/It makes sense./_

She sighed and wilted, her head dropping onto the desk. _\I'm sorry... This is just... a lot to take in. A 3000 plus year old spirit stuck in my Puzzle, voices in my head, strange memories, and me being a reincarnation. Stuff like this doesn't exist now!\_

He was quiet for a minute, before he mentally smiled, _/Hey, why don't you show me your world, Game? I gathered a lot from your memories, but its all very strange./_

She smiled, and fished out a rope, looping it through the Puzzle's loop and tieing it around her neck, _\Alright... Wait, you.. went through my memories?\_

The only response was laughter.

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 10:40 PM~**_

And so, after one vacuum cleaner, blender, and a car sent to the Shadow Realm later, Yugi sat, doing the classic 'Facepalm'.

_\...Why?\_

_/...Hey! Don't blame me! That Ra-forsaken vacuum... And the blender... And the damn _car_! I just touched it! But nooo... It had to blare its horn.../_

Yugi rolled her eyes and sighed as he continued to rant. They had found out that Yami could take over her body, which annoyed her to no end. He could also appear in a 'spirit form', which was invisible to everyone but her, and, last but not least, with her help, he could form a temporary body from her own shadow. This, however, drained them both immensely, and forced them to come home since her legs felt extremely weak after he vanished suddenly after about 30 minutes. Yami had said that it would just take practice to have it last longer.

_/...and, really, who would want to get near one of the things, anyway?/_

_\Yami.\_

_/They're loud and- Yes?/_

_\Get over it.\_

A pause. Then a sigh.

_/Sorry./_ He said sheepishly, appearing in spirit form, sitting on her desk. He glanced over at the clock and gave her a mental nudge, _/You should sleep. You have that 'school' in the morning./_

She sighed and nodded, taking off the Puzzle and moving to stash it under her bed. Yami blinked, _/What are you doing?/_

She gave him a pointed look, \_I am _not_ undressing in front of you.\_ She smirked as he blushed and disappeared. She quickly put on her black pajamas and retrieved the Puzzle, Yami reappearing soon afterward. She clambered into bed, setting the Puzzle next to her. She started as she felt someone wrap ghostly arms around her waist. Feeling heat rise to her cheeks in a light blush, she turned her head to see Yami, still ghostly, yet using his magic to make a more tangible body.

_\...Y- Yami?\_

_/Go to sleep, Game. I'll be here, always./_ He murmured, pulling her closer. She smiled and turned, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her own arms around him.

_\...Thank you...\_

It seems her wish actually came true.

_**~Japan, Just Outside Domino High, 3:30 PM~**_

_\...I'm worried.\ _Yugi mentally stated, her worry leaking though their link. Yami, who had been walking beside her in spirit form, admiring the various modern things, while Yugi sent him the various description and using of the things, turned to her.

_/What's wrong, Game?/_

Yugi chewed her lip thoughtfully as she glanced around, worry crossing over her icy mask briefly. That mask had caused Yami to worry, only intensified by how she acted at school. He knew she was a very light-filled person, in both past and present. _'Must have something to do with her black door and that mask in her soul room,'_ He thought to himself, wondering briefly what he could do to fix that.

_\Jounouchi and Honda\_ she said, pulling him out of his thoughts,_ \They weren't here..\_

Yami growled, _/Those two who pick on you? Why do you care about them?/_

Yugi sent a glare his way, about to reply, when another voice spoke up.

"Yugi Motou!"

She turned to see Ushio standing at the mouth of an alleyway. She paled, something Ushio missed, but Yami did not. Ushio continued, "Come with me, I have something to show you.." He turned and walked down the ally in a confident stride. She frowned and stalked after him, pausing for a moment as Yami's ghostly hand grasped hers.

_/Yugi. Don't go. Its probably some sort of trap./_

_\I'm not dumb, Yami. But it's not _me_ I'm worried about.\_

She continued forward, her hand still in his. They rounded the corner, only to stop dead in their tracks. Yugi gasped. \_...That's why I was worried...\_ She said weakly.

Ushio stood with a cocky smirk, as Jounouchi and Honda sat up against the wall, battered and bloodied. Honda looked on the verge of unconsciousness as he leaned against Jounouchi, who cracked an eye open at her arrival.

"...Yugi... _Run_... You know what he... does... with his bodyguard ruse..." He muttered out weakly.

"Jounouchi! Honda!" She yelled as she ran toward them, dropping on her knees before them. Yami growled and followed, standing between Ushio and Yugi, even though the former couldn't see him. He immediately called the Shadows just in case, and the alley darkened slightly.

"Like my little surprise, Motou?" He sneered. Yugi growled and turned on him, standing up.

"Like?_ Like?_" She said, her voice dangerously low, "I don't like this one bit, Ushio."

"I'm afraid that doesn't matter, Motou. Because, you see, me being your bodyguard comes with a price." Ushio stated, a triumphant smirk on his face, "This should cost you about ¥200,000."

Yugi's shadow seemed to split, something only Jounouchi noticed. His eyes widened as the two shadows moved apart from each other, despite there being no other light source. One looked the same as her regular shadow, the other looking male, with spiked up hair. This one moved so that it was directly in front of Yugi, the other moving slightly behind her.

"Please. As if I would even _consider _paying your sorry ass for something I never agreed to!" Yugi spat, while on the inside she—and, by extension, Yami—knew what this comment would spark, and they were gathering up the Shadow magic needed for what Yami had planned. Yugi was slightly against it, but, Ushio did deserve it. She ignored the way her shadow had split, and the very faint glimmer of the Puzzle and Eye of Horus on her forehead. Thankfully, Ushio didn't see anything odd.

The rule enforcing hall monitor scowled, "Well then, I suppose you'll just have to pay up another way!" He pulled back his hand, intending to slap her.

Bad idea.

The glow from the Eye of Horus and the Puzzle suddenly spiked, glimmering brightly. At the same time, Jounouchi saw, the same Eye glowed on the shadow in front of Yugi. Then, a mass of shadows burst forth from it, and wrapped around Ushio's wrist, stopping him.

The shadow grew up, forming the shape of a man, the Eye of Horus glowing brightly on his forehead. The shadows condensed briefly before seeming to melt away from the figure and making a shadow of his own. Yami stood there, his hand still holding Ushio's wrist, glaring.

"You _dare_ to try to hurt my light?" He asked darkly, "I'll send you straight to darkness!"

Ushio trembled slightly, despite the fact that he towered over the irate dark. There was just something about him that _made_ Ushio fear him—whether it was the fact that his crimson eyes seemed to have a fiery darkness, or the fact that he had _appeared from freaking shadows!_ He wasn't sure.

The shadows sprang up again, covering Ushio's form before he had time to blink. In a few seconds, he was gone. Yami turned to Yugi and smirked, "Want to come play too, Game?" He said, "I know you want to see a Shadow Game."

Yugi bit her lip and glanced back at Jounouchi, who was staring mouth agape—Honda was out cold. She kneeled before him, her mask cast aside as concern entered her eyes. "Jounouchi, will you be okay if I call an ambulance? I have to go make sure Yami doesn't go too far. I swear I'll explain everything later."

He swallowed the lump in his throat and glanced over at Yami before answering, "..Yeah.. We'll be fine, Yugi, but you _have to_ explain later!" Yugi nodded and quickly called an ambulance before standing. Yami came up behind her as Jounouchi said one more thing, "And.. Yugi... Thanks, for standing up for us..."

Then she did something he never would have expected from the Ice Queen of Domino High; she smiled brightly. "Don't worry about it, Jounouchi," She said as Yami wrapped his arms around her waist and shadows started to rise around them, "You would have done the same for me!"

And they were gone.

_**~Shadow Realm~**_

Ushio had no idea where he was. All he knew was that there was a twisting void of black, purple, and deep blue around him. He jumped as they rose up suddenly, and Yugi and Yami emerged from them, The Eye of Horus still on their foreheads. Yugi wore a slightly disapproving look, yet her eyes betrayed her excitement.

"What the hell are you?" Ushio demanded, "Where the hell am I?"

Yami smirked, "Me? Why, I'm just a yami, protecting my hikari. As for where we are, that would be the Shadow Realm, and now you shall be judged in a Yami no Game."

Ushio snorted, his voice braver then he felt, "'Yami no Game'? As if I'd play a game with you freaks."

"Oh? But we went to the trouble of getting ¥400,000 just for you, too..." Yami said, holding up a wad of bills they had grabbed from the game shop before they entered the Shadow Realm, "And if you win the Game, you'll get double the money you asked for..." He thumbed through the bills invitingly.

Ushio's greed outweighed any common sense. He grinned, "Fine then, if you want to lose money that badly."

Yami smirked and Yugi sighed. The shadows between them rose up, forming a table and three chairs. Yugi spoke up for the first time, "Alright Eyebrows, here's the rules." She plucked the money from Yami and held it up, "You take the money and place it over the top of your hand," She did so, palm down, "And you stab it with that little knife in your pocket. You keep what you get. You hit your hand, you lose and face a Penalty Game. You cheat you face an even worse Penalty Game, and forfeit all money." She raised an eyebrow at them, tossing the money back to Yami, "I'm not playing." She sat down and leaned back, crossing her arms. Yami and Ushio followed.

The Game didn't last very long.

Ushio's strength eventually got the better of him, and he disregarded Yugi's warnings about cheating. "Feh, I can get all the money and not hit my hand!" He yelled as he pulled back the knife, intending to throw it at Yami.

Yami just chuckled darkly and the shadows rose up behind Ushio, unnoticed.

"The Door of Darkness has opened."

Ushio gasped as his chair turned into a mass of shadows, and the ones behind him grabbed his arms, stopping his movements, "I should just out right punish you as the Laws of the Shadows say, yet Yugi wishes to give you a chance. And the Illusion of Greed would really be more of a blessing than punishment to you…"

Yami reached his hand forward and pointed it at Ushio. "You greed for money at the expense of others and thus your lesson will be this: Poverty! From this day on money will turn into dirt in your hand and those who are rich will turn poor in your eyes. You will see the decay and destruction of things you want the most..."

Yugi picked up now, "...And if you do not learn, _then_ you shall be punished."

The Shadows enveloped Ushio and he vanished.

**~Japan, The Hospital, 4:20 PM~**

Jounouchi was sitting on a hospital bed, despite how much he really didn't want to be there. The reason why he was still there: Honda. He was in a bed next to him, with an ice pack on his head and covering his eyes, and another on one of his ribs.

Honda had gotten a worse beating then he had, getting a light concussion, and a fractured rib. It wasn't to bad, but the doctors insisted they stay there for a while longer, just in case Honda had some internal damage, despite the fact that he had insisted he was fine.

He had told Honda everything once his headache had subsided, thanks to some handy pain medication. Honda at first, naturally, didn't believe him, but once Jounouchi had asked him _why_ he would lie about this, he fell silent and pondered it.

Jounouchi glanced around wearily, noting that in the shadows two violet eyes peered back at him.

Wait. Backtrack.

_Eyes?_

His eyes snapped to the others, who glanced at the closed door to their room before stepping into the light.

"Y- Yugi?" He stammered, and Honda removed the ice pack from his eyes before sitting up carefully.

Yugi smiled, looking distinctly tired, "Hey. I came to explain, as I promised." She sat thankfully in a chair, yawning.

"You look terrible." Honda noted.

Yugi sighed, "Yeah, well, calling the Shadows like we did cost a lot of energy." She sighed again, realizing both that she had to explain everything, and that she'd been sighing a lot lately.

"Alright... That guy who came from my shadow? His name is Yami." She began, and the two gave her their undivided attention. She held up her Puzzle, "This is the Sennen Puzzle. You remember that gold box, Jounouchi?" She asked, looking at him. He flinched slightly.

"Er... Yeah... So er- you completed it?" He asked lamely, scratching the back of his neck and looking to the side with a guilty expression.

Yugi smiled at him, "I forgive you, Jounouchi. Both of you." They stared at her in surprise.

"W- what? Why? After all we've done to you.." Honda said, looking away.

"...I never really held it against you... You weren't the worst ones, even."

Jounouchi felt extremely guilty right then. She was _forgiving _them? Why? She even _stood up_ for them! And she never fought back all those times they picked on her, either... He clenched the bed sheet he was sitting on and looked up at Yugi with determination on his face, and a glint in his eyes.

"Yugi. I have a riddle for you. What can you see, but not see?" She looked at him, surprised.

"My answer would be a puzzle, but that is not your answer, is it?" She asked softly.

Jounouchi grinned and shook his head, "Nope! Its friendship! You can see us, but you can't see our friendship!"

Yugi blinked at him for a moment, before lowering her head, shoulders shaking. Jounouchi panicked, thinking he might have upset her, "N- no, don't-" He was cut off as Yugi threw her head back and laughed joyously.

"Oh, to think," she said as her laughter subsided somewhat, "My first friends would be with _you two_!" She giggled, eyes bright, "Irony is hilarious, really." She shook her head and smiled brightly at the two, "Thank you."

Honda and Jounouchi were floored. _This_ was the Ice Queen of Domino High? She acted so different out of school, it made them think this was an impostor at first. Then a thought struck them: _What if it was a mask? Put up because she had no one._ This thought, and her previous statement of them being her first friends, hardened their resolve to be her protectors and best friends. Their guilt also increased, reminding them that it was they who just made it harder for her.

They grinned at her and stated in unison, "Anytime, Yugi!"

_**~Yami no Linebreak!~**_

**A/N:** Oh... my... Ra... That was _fun_!

And this is the _longest_ chapter I've ever written! About seven and a half pages and 5327 words, not counting the A/N! Damn. I was going to make it two chapters, but it felt better making it just one.

Yeah, this one feels better then all my other Yu-Gi-Oh! stories. It actually has a plot line! Yay! And, remember!

**Vote in your reviews for whether you want Malik to be female, my OC to be in this, and, if so, if you think she should be paired up with Malik since I have absolutely no idea who he should be paired up with! If you have an idea, and don't want him paired up with an OC, then post your opinions!**

Now, I shall go read up on my Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, especially for Season 0.

(1)- This happened to me, once, at a friends house. She laughed herself silly when she woke up to find me on the floor.

(2)- My exact reaction. XD

(3)- Italians rock. You know its true!

(4)- Yeah, these were what I got when I was looking for a title for this story on a title generator. As you can see, none of them... ah... _fit_.


	2. New Friends and a Corrrupted Director!

**A/N:** Oh my Ra! I didn't expect for this to be so popular! 8 Reviews and 93 visitors in two days! Wow...

**Well... The polls are still open! For Malik to be a girl, so far I have 3 votes Yes, and 2 votes no.**

**For my OC to be in here, I have 1 vote yes, and 0 votes no.**

**Keep voting, people!**

And I won't keep posting the disclaimer, summary, and other such things. They are in the first chapter, there is no need for them to take up space here.

**Yami/Hikari Speech: **Yugi- _\Like this\_ Yami-_/Like This/_ Ryou- _(Like This)_ Bakura- _((Like This))_ Malik- _[Like This]_ Marik- _[[Like This]]_

_Bakura: *Tosses a knife at a random bystander.* I'm bored._

_Ryou: 'Kura!_

_**Masks**_

_A **Yu-Gi-Oh!** Fanfic_

_By **Clockwork Soul**_

_**Chapter 2: New Friends and a Corrupted Director!**_

_**~Japan, Domino High School, 7:45 AM~**_

Yugi's newest friendship with Jounouchi and Honda were greeted by stares and disbelieving rumors.

But they didn't care.

"Yug'!"

Yugi turned and grinned, seeing Jounouchi and Honda running toward her, still looking a little worse for wear, "Jou! Honda!" She called, waving. They caught up to her and they started walking toward the doors of the school, Jounouchi and Honda on either side of her. Jou immediately went off on the newest rumor, something about a female celebrity supposed to be here. Honda rolled his eyes.

"Jou, why would a celebrity want to come _here_, of all places?" Honda asked, raising his eyebrow at him.

"I dunno, but I'm gonna find out!" He replied determinedly.

Yugi looked around with detached interest. Jou glanced at her and noticed her blank look. _'She must be talking to Yami.'_ He thought. The two had taken the news that Yami was a spirit of an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh rather well, surprisingly. Then again, when Yugi manipulated the shadows around them, and then formed Yami a body to prove it all, it was kinda hard _not_ to believe.

Jou poked her in the side as they got close to the door. She jumped and smiled thankfully at him, her mind coming back to the world.

_**~Japan, Domino High School, In Class~**_

They had a sub, who let them have free time, since she had absolutely no idea what she was doing. Yugi sat on Jou's desk, with Honda across from them. She grinned at pulled her bag over, "Hey, you guys want to play a game?" She asked, pulling out a deck of cards, "It's pretty simple. All you have to do is pull out a card, and, lets say, if I get a seven, I can say anything else, like, say, a queen. You guess whether the real number is higher or lower then what you said. Ace is low."

Jou and Honda both agreed, and Yugi shuffled the cards, placing the deck on Jou's desk. "I'll go first." She pulled out a card and looked at Jou. "Jack." Jou stared at the card as if he could will it to tell him the right answer.

"...Lower."

"Nope!" She laid the card face up, a King.

"Damnit."

_**~Five Minutes Later~**_

Jou stared down Yugi, brown eyes burrowing into her amethyst ones. His mouth twitched in concentration and indecision. Yugi was smirking, her own eyes narrow and daring.

Honda held his breath before...

"Higher!" Jou cried, pointing an accusing finger at her. Yugi's smirk turned victorious, dropping the card face up. Jou growled, "Not again!" he yelled dramatically.

"Ha!" She laughed, "Better luck next time, Jou!"

Honda moaned and gave Yugi a small wad of bills, "Damnit, Jou! Yug's gonna run me dry if you keep this up!" Yugi, who still had a victorious smirk on her face, thumbed through the bills happily. Jou growled and swiped a card from the deck. He looked at the Seven of Spades and then to Yugi.

"Five."

"...Higher."

"DAMNIT!" He threw the card in the air and flopped backwards in the seat dramatically. The card fluttered down and landed on his head while Yugi and Honda laughed at him. Honda reached over and patted his shoulder sympathetically.

"You know, we should really just go ahead and call you the Queen of Games, Yug'." He said, making her grin. She glanced around the classroom, noting a few of the poms staring at them. She noticed two people off on their own. Hanasaki Tomoya and Nosaka Miho. Hanasaki was shy and quiet, kind of like Yugi used to be. Miho used to be a pom, but she didn't like hanging out with people who would pick on others, and so she broke off with them, even if it meant she would become an outcast too. Yugi respected her for that. Yugi had never really considered them friends, per-say. Perhaps acquaintances?

_\Time to change that.\_ She thought determinedly, and Yami sent mixture of emotions though their link that said _Go for it!_

"Hey, Hanasaki! Miho!" She called, causing them to look over, "Want to play a game with us?"

They looked shocked, which wasn't much of a surprise. The Ice Queen asking you to play a game with her? It was unheard of. Miho hesitated before smiling slightly and nodding, walking over. Hanasaki gulped and followed too. Miho fiddled with the yellow ribbon in her blue hair for a second before speaking up, "So.. what are you playing?"

Yugi grabbed the deck and reshuffled it, explaining the rules. They nodded, understanding and pulled some desks over, and Honda snagged a card before looking at Hanasaki.

"Three."

Hanasaki hesitated, "A-ano... Lower?" Honda groaned and flipped down the Ace of Hearts. Hanasaki picked up a card and looked over at Miho.

"An.. Eight?"

She pursed her lips and thought for a moment, before putting her fist in her palm in the universal 'I Got It!' gesture, "Lower!" Hanasaki shook his head and flipped down the King of Clubs. She pouted, "Dang it."

This went on for some time, and Miho and Hanasaki were becoming fast friends with the trio. Yugi laughed as she won another round, and the others groaned, a round of "Damnit all..." going around. She grinned and reshuffled the deck. "You guys want to play another game?" She asked, snickering when they all readily agreed.

"How about Crazy Eights?" Miho asked, hopeful until she saw Yugi smirk. They all sweat-dropped, _'Crud! She has that look!'_

"Sure," Yugi nodded, the others following, "I like that game." She passed out the cards.

_**~Some Time Later~**_

Yugi tossed her last card onto the pile, causing the others to groan. "Yugi-chan!" Miho pointed accusingly at her, "Your out of the next game!" Yugi laughed.

"Fine, fine, Ribbon-chan" She waved her hands in surrender, "I have to use the little girls room anyways." She tossed the Puzzle—electing a cry from Yami—she had taken off on the middle of the game to Jou, "Watch that, would ya?" She said before walking out the door of the class. (The teacher had vanished somewhere.)

Jou caught the Puzzle—barely—and set it on his desk, Eye up. Miho and Hanasaki leaned in to get a better look at it. "I noticed her wearing that," Miho started, "Where did she get it? It's so... gaudy."

Jou and Honda snorted, suppressing their laughter. Honda spoke up first, "It's the Sennen Puzzle. Her grandfather gave it to her eight years ago. She solved it only lately."

Hanasaki looked awed, "Must have been one heck of a puzzle... Yugi's a master at any game!"

Miho voiced a thought that had been on her mind ever since Yugi called them over, "...Yugi-chan is... different then what I expected from the Ice Queen..." She muttered, "Not that I don't like her this way, it's just..."

"You weren't expecting it?" Honda supplied. She nodded.

Jou shrugged, "I think the 'Ice Queen' mask is only for those who really deserve it. We thought the same thing when we first saw her without her mask."

"Mask?" Hanasaki wondered.

"Its the best way to describe it." Honda said before clapping his hands and grabbing the deck, shuffling them, "Ready for a game without the Game Queen?"

_**~Japan, Domino High School, 12:00 AM~**_

"Ribbon-chan, can I have a bite of that rice ball?"

"Yes, Yugi-chan."

"Yatta!"

Miho laughed at Yugi's antics. She was surprised at how fast she and Yugi had hit it off—they were acting like they had known each other their whole lives! Miho glanced at the road outside the school from the old tree they were all sitting under.

"Hey, look at that!" She said, pointing at a TV van.

Jou gasped and stood up, "It must be that celebrity!" He said, grinning, "I've still got to find her!"

"'Her'?" Yugi asked, raising an eyebrow, "How do you know it's a her?"

"Jou believes every rumor he hears." Honda said, nodding sagely.

"I do not!" He yelled while the all laughed.

Yugi took a bite of Miho's rice ball and nodded toward the van, "Then why don't one of you go check it out?"

There was a pause.

"I vote Hanasaki!"

Hanasaki shook his head at everyone's vote, "Oh.. A-ano... I really..."

"Nyeh, come on, Hanasaki!" Jou said, tossing his around his shoulders, "Just go over and see if you can see anyone!"

Hanasaki gulped and nodded before getting up and walking tentatively toward the van. He looked close to the window, nearly touching it, before turning back to them and shrugging, shaking his head. Jou groaned and hung his head in defeat as Hanasaki came back, "It must be a one-way window."

_**~Japan, The Van, Just after Lunch~**_

The director glanced down at the picture he took of the shy-looking boy. He handed it to his assistant, "Find that kid, and bring him to the back of the gym after school. Were going to get some real good footage today.." He chuckled darkly while the assistant gulped at nodded, running off.

_**~Japan, Domino High School, After School~**_

Hanasaki looked around excitedly. The celebrity's friend had said to meet behind the gym, alone, but Jou had overheard and all of his new friends had come. They were currently hiding in the bushes a ways away. He spotted the guy he was supposed to meet and ran over to him, looking for the idol.

"...Huh? Fugita-san?" He said, confused when he saw no one, "Where's the idol?"

Fujita leaned down, whispering in a conspirator's voice, "Well, you see... Wait! I hear someone coming..."

Hanasaki looked at him, confused. He gasped in pain as the others knee slammed into his midsection, "You idiot, there isn't an idol!" He was about to punch him when a group a voices called out:

"Hanasaki!"

Jou and Honda ran up, coming between the two, while Yugi and Miho dropped down next to Hanasaki.

"Hanasaki, are you alright?" Miho asked.

"What's the big idea, you bastard!" Jou said, grabbing Fujita's collar.

"I- I didn't want to, really!" The other cried, "The director made me!"

"Director?" Honda asked.

"That's enough." A voice called, and a older man stepped from the bushes, a camera man following. Jou growled and tossed Fujita to the side.

"You made him do this to our friend?" He asked darkly.

"It'll make a grand episode. To bad poor Hanasaki got unlucky enough to be cast as 'bullied kid'. Just a bad roll of the dice." He chuckled, "He's the hero! The hero of my broadcaster, that is!"

Jou growled, "I'm gonna kill you."

The director smirked and waved to the camera, "And it'll all be caught on tape."

Jou was about to say something, when another voice spoke up.

"You dare to hurt my friends?" Yugi said, and the shadows lengthened, darkening the area. "You have stumbled into _my_ realm of influence, and now we shall play a game..." She tossed a dice in her hand and looked up at the director with a dark smirk.

"A Yami no Game..."

Jou and Honda looked nervous, and moved to stand next to Yugi. Miho and Hanasaki looked confused. _'Yami no Game..?'_

The director scoffed, "'Yami no Game'? Please."

Yugi chuckled, "Scared, director?" She asked.

"As if!"

She smirked, "Very well then!" She held up the dice, which had the Eye of Horus where the one would be. "We shall play with this! Since the time of ancient Egypt, die were used to decide the fates of men.

"Here are the rules... After I roll the dice, if you can get a number lower or the same, you win.

"If you lose... you face the Penalty Game."

She raised the dice and dropped it, "Game start!"

Everyone paled as the dice landed on six, while the director laughed, "A six! Ha!"

"You certainly seem lucky, but the Game is not over yet."

The director snorted and muttered something about stubborn brats. He picked up the dice and suddenly got a wicked smirk on his face, "Feh, while I'm at it..." He said before tossing the dice _hard_ at Yugi. She brought the Puzzle up casually, and the dice hit it's point. It fell to the ground, landing on one.

The director laughed and turned to walk away.

There was a _clink_ as something fell to the ground.

"The Door of Darkness has opened."

The director turned and looked at the dice.

It was split in half! A one and a six.

"W-what? Seven!" He looked up at Yugi, and gasped when he saw the glowing Eye on her forehead.

"You twist reality in front of the camera to suit your own needs. We should punish you as the Shadows say, and give you no chance through the Illusion of Mosaic, and strike you blind."

"But what would you learn? Nothing. So I shall give you a chance. You shall hear all that which you choose not to, the cries and pleas of those you have harmed. And if you will not listen... _then_ you shall be punished." She pointed a finger at the director and called out in a commanding voice,

"Penalty Game!"

The others watched as the director seemed as if he would laugh at her before turning his head to the side, like he heard something, "What..? Who's speaking?" He asked, confused. He growled and covered his ears, "No! It was great! You don't know anything!"

They watched as he ran off, ears still covered. Jou and Honda gulped. _That_ was a Shadow Game and Penalty Game? Jou looked over at the camera man and Fujita. He pointed to them, "Hey.. Yug'..." She glanced at him, "What should we do with those two?" She looked over at them and frowned, her eyes going blank for a moment as she talked with Yami.

_\Well?\_

_/...I say we punish them, too./_

_\Yami!\_ She scolded, _\They were just doing their job!\_

The spirit sighed and thought for a moment. He got an idea, _/We can erase their memories./_

_\...We can do that?\_

_/Probably./_

She rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively to the two cowering figures, she and Yami commanding the shadows to erase their memories of this event and drop them off in their houses. The others jumped as a tendril of shadow snaked out from Yugi's own and wrapped around the two. They vanished, and the shadow snaked back to it's place.

"W-what's gonna happen to them?" Jou asked.

Yugi sighed, "Hopefully? Their memories wiped and they dumped in their homes.

"...You can do that?"

"Probably."

"Y-Yugi-chan?" A small voice spoke up behind them. They turned to see Miho and Hanasaki staring at them. Yugi gulped and scratched the back of her neck.

"Ah... hey there... Ribbon-chan... Hanasaki..." She glanced around sheepishly before sighing and looking them straight in the eyes, "Can I trust you two? With my greatest secret?"

They blinked, before Miho, nodded, determination in her eyes, "You can trust me with anything, Yugi-chan!" Hanasaki smiled and nodded too.

She sighed and smiled before holding up the Puzzle, "Well, I might as well start at the beginning. This is the Sennen Puzzle..."

_**~Japan, Domino High School, 12:00 AM, The Next Day~**_

Yugi yawned and walked outside for lunch.

_\I'm amazed they took it so well.\_

_/As am I./_ Yami replied, walking next to her in spirit form.

_\It's kind of amazing, you know?\_

He looked over at her, confused, _/What is, Game?/_

She smiled at held the Puzzle in one hand, tracing the Eye with her finger, _\Ever since I solved this, I've been gaining more and more friends.\_

He chuckled and said nothing, his own contentment at being with her washing though their link.

She blinked as she spotted Jou and Honda huddled a little ways away from the 'Sennen Tree' as they had dubbed it, after her Puzzle. Hanasaki and Miho were looking over at them with raised eyebrows. Yugi strolled over behind them.

"...and no matter how much I squint, I just couldn't see the good bits!" Jou cried, holding up a tape.

"Yoink."

"H-Hey!" They said, spinning around to see Yugi with a smirk, holding the tape. They suddenly looked very nervous, "Y-Yug'! What are y-you doing here?"

She looked over the tape, "Oh, nothing, just looking at an interesting movie I found..."

"O-oh," Jou said, fiddling with his jacket, "Thats ours..."

"Oh?" She replied in an innocent voice, despite the danger in her eyes, "Mind if I... ah.. _borrow_ it?"

"Oh it's er- not that good! Yes," Honda said, "It's not that good at all."

"Oh? Well that's to bad. I guess you wouldn't mind if I do _this_ then!" She grinned and broke the tape in half. She tossed one half to Jou and Honda each, "Come on, boys." She said, the innocent voice gone, "Your far to young for such things!" She said, wagging a finger at them.

"Yuuuug'!" They groaned.

_**~Yami no Linebreak!~**_

**A/N:** I am loving writing this! I really am. ^.^

Thanks again for all the kind reviews!

_**(Edit 9/26/11: Fixed a few mistakes, nothing major.)**_


	3. Prisoner from Death Row!

**A/N:** Hey guys! Another chapter up!

**Attention: All polls are now closed. I have made my decisions. (No, I will not tell you what I decided, that would ruin it, now wouldn't it? ^.-) I officially have everyone's characters mostly plotted out.**

**Another Attention: I plan on posting a new story soon, one that will reveal whatever memories that anyone receives of their past life in Kemet (Egypt). It will mostly be Yugi and Yami, but there will be histories of everyone who has a past life in this story. It will be simply be called _'The Past'_.**

Ah, and this series officially has a name. (Yes, this is going to be a _massive_ series, with some crossovers thrown in, too.) It is called **Light, Darkness, and Shadows.** If I say anything is in the LDS universe, then it will be linked to this story and it's plot.

And yes, I know I skipped 'Hard Beat!'. Sorry. I just couldn't work with it, the way I wanted to. I may or may not toss it in another chapter if I gain inspiration. :3

_**Masks**_

_A **Yu-Gi-Oh!** Fanfic_

_**Light, Darkness, and Shadows Universe**_

_By **Clockwork Soul**_

_**Chapter 3: Prisoner From Death Row and Memories of Past Friends!**_

"Hey, you guys hear about that new 'Burger World'?"

Yugi, Jou, Honda, Miho, and Hanasaki were all sitting at their tree, the Sennen Tree. Yugi blinked at Jou, who brought it up, "'Burger World'?" She asked, "...Sounds like a load of meat and calories, to me." Jou shook his head.

"Nah, it's really good. They have a vegetarian menu~!" He sang, grinning.

Miho nodded, "Why don't we all go after school?" She asked.

"Yeah, Yami should come, too!" Honda added. Yugi cocked her head to the side, as if listening. After a second she nodded, smiling.

"He said he'd love to." She said, going back to her lunch. The others cheered before following her lead.

"O-oh," Hanasaki started, "Are you guys sure? I heard that a prisoner from death row escaped. He k-killed a guard and he has a pistol!"

Honda waved a hand dismissively, "Meh, if anything bad happens, me and Jou'll take 'em down!"

Jou smirked and nodded, "That, or Yugi and Yami could just toss 'em to the Shadow Realm."

_**~Japan, Just Outside Domino High, After School~**_

"Burger World, here we come!"

The others rolled their eyes at Jou and Honda's antics, laughing. Yugi glanced around before ducking into an alley. The others situated themselves at it's mouth, to make sure no one entered. There was a small flash of gold light, and a few seconds later, both Yami and Yugi emerged.

Jou grinned, "Hey, Yami!" The others copied him, and before long, all of them were walking to Burger World. Yami grumbled something about 'metal death contraptions' as a car passed a little to close to him for his likings. Yugi patted his arm sympathetically, while on the inside she was laughing her ass off—and Yami knew it.

"Quit laughing at me. They're evil, deadly things." He defended.

Yugi snorted, barely containing her laughter, "You know, your going to have to ride in one eventually."

"Ra no! I'll die... Again!"

"I'm not sure you'll have a choice in the matter."

They got to Burger World fairly quickly. The door opened to show a brown-haired girl, "Welcome to Burger World! Will that be... six... seats?" She faltered, staring at them, and they stared back.

"...A-Anzu?" Miho said, shocked at seeing her former best friend. Yugi's mouth twitched upwards.

"M-Miho? ….Jounouchi... Honda... and Hanasaki..." Mazaki Anzu said, before her eyes fell on Yugi she glared at her, "...Motou..."

Yugi smirked, her mask falling into place easily, "Hey, Mazaki. You going to show us those seats, or what?" Anzu twitched and nodded, beckoning them inside. She led them to a semi-circular booth. Hanasaki slid in first, then Honda, Miho, Jounouchi, Yami, and then Yugi, who sat across from Hanasaki, both on the outside of the booth.

They quickly ordered and talked animatedly. Anzu came back and slammed their tray down, making them all jump. She leaned in close and looked them all in the eye, "You tell, you _die_." She hissed.

Yugi snickered, "Don't worry, Mazaki, we wont tell... Unless, you give me a reason to tell..." She said, smirking at her. Anzu walked away, fuming. She pulled her salad over and was about to take a bite when a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her roughly over.

"Yugi!" Yami yelled, glaring at the man who grabbed her. She felt cool metal touch her temple.

"Nobody move, or the girl dies!" The man yelled, and everyone in the restaurant froze in shock, "Now, everyone on the floor!" They quickly complied, her friends hesitating as they stared fearfully at her. He moved to a empty booth far away from everyone, sliding in and pulling her with him. He smirked and pulled out a blindfold, "Humans get more fearful if they get blinded, did you know?"

Yugi growled, "Don't you _dare_." She hissed at him icily.

"Feisty one, aren't you?" He laughed, before blindfolding her.

_/Don't worry, Game./_ Yami's soothing voice calmed her easily, batting away her fears, _/He'll regret ever even _looking_ at you./_

_\T-thanks...\_ She muttered, before feeling a small tug on her soul. The darkness she saw faded as Yami allowed her to see though his eyes, and his crimson eyes became a strange mixture of crimson and amethyst in response. They glanced around, allowing her to get a good look at everything. The man holding her hostage looked like he just came from prison which—if what they heard from Hanasaki was right—is probably the case. He had a '777' branded onto his forehead, hair that was spiked back, and 'Fever' tattooed on his left cheek. He held a pistol casually in his hand, pointed at her head.

_/Damn,/_ Yami muttered, _/I can't do anything—It's too much of a risk./_

Yugi was about to reply when the man spoke up, pointing his gun at Yami, "You! The dark looking one! Yeah, you." Yami glared fiercely at him, "Go, get me some booze and smokes! Lucky Stripe! Only that brand!" He demanded.

Yami swiftly obeyed, a dark smirk on his face as he set the tray on the table with a _clang!_ He sat in the seat across from the man, "Here you go." He chuckled as the man spluttered.

"What the hell? Did I say you could sit down?"

Yami shrugged, "Oh, I just thought I'd keep you company. And perhaps play a little Game?" He asked as the shadows in the room lengthened as the Shadow Realm headed their call.

The man twitched before pulling a cigarette from the pack, "A game..? Heh, perhaps I do need to have a little fun.."

Yugi smirked, speaking from her own body, "However... The loser of the Game loses their life."

"Interesting..." He said, starting to pour the alcohol into a glass, "And the rules...?"

"We must stay on opposite sides of the table, but may interact... but only by using one finger. I shall choose my right thumb." He said, holding up the designated digit.

"Feh, I'll choose my right index finger, of course!"

"Very well then... Game Start!"

"And now, game over!" The man laughed, raising the gun.

_Click!_

He paused, looking at the lighter Yami was holding, before glancing down at his unlit cigarette. He smirked, "I had forgotten... Very well, light the smoke as your last act!" He chuckled, still pouring his drink.

Yami smirked and lit the cigarette, before dropping it on his hand—the one still pouring his drink! He chuckled, "Here's your lighter! Take it with you to the gods! And I wouldn't fire the pistol, either... The recoil would definitely drop the lighter!" He smirked and quickly moved out of the booth, grabbing Yugi's hand and pulling her with him.

They didn't watch as the lit cigarette dropped onto the 90% alcohol vodka, which had spilled over, catching the man on fire.

Yami led her back to their friends, the amethyst in his eyes melting away as Yugi's soul went back to her own body. She reached up and pulled off her blindfold before looking over at Yami with a thankful smile, "Thank you."

He smiled back, "Anytime, Game."

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 5:31 P.M.~**_

Yugi dropped onto her bed unceremoniously, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Instead of finding herself in her dreams, she 'woke' in the bed of her soul room. She hopped up, noticing the changes since she'd been here last.

It all looked mostly the same, except for three things. The empty picture frames now held photos of all of her friends. Her black door became a slight greyish color, and was open a crack. And last, the blue mask was cracked, right down the middle. She opened the door all the way before moving across the short hall way, to Yami's door. She opened it, to behold the maze of his mind.

It was, admittedly, very similar to that painting by that person she can't remember the name of. It was a labyrinth of stairs and doors. It was dark, yet there was still enough light to see. Yami appeared beside her, smirking.

"Hey, Game." He said, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned up and placed a light kiss on his lips.

"Hey. Ready to start looking?" She asked, smiling up at him.

They had guessed that Yami's memories were sealed away somewhere in this labyrinth, so they had decided: Every now and then, they would search their soul rooms for any hint of anything. Yugi's own soul room had books that she had never seen before, and when she flipped though one once, she found it was written in hieroglyphics. They read a part of one—she needing some help from Yami, as she wasn't exactly fluent, and only knew what her grandfather taught her—and found after they did, she remembered some of her past childhood. They had found out she was a noble, daughter of a renowned priest, who had three very close friends. A memory about a assassin, a kitten, a healer- and priest-in-training.

Nafre, Bahiti, Dalila, and Naeem.

Yami said they had read a type of spell that was meant to unseal memories. He flicked though a few others, and found similar spells. Apparently, someone sealed her memories, possibly so that she could have them in another life if she managed to unseal them all.

So, here they were, switching between searching Yami's soul room or her own in search of something that would give a clue on _why_ Yami was here, information on their Puzzle, his memories and her past life.

_**~Yami no Linebreak!~**_

**A/N: **Still having a blast! ^w^


	4. Hot Hockey! All Copyrights Go to Yami

**A/N:** There was a fire in my town. O.o; In an abandoned building. Kinda depressing that that's the only thing interesting that's happened in, like, _years_. On another note, the Gulf (Which is the center hangout for my 700 population town) is closing down. Why the hell do little towns vanish when the school closes? I hate it, the Gulf has been there since my _grandparents_ went to school here. But, I digress. I'm ranting, apologies. ._.

On another (_another_) note, I have officially fallen in love with Ao No Exorcist. Rin Okumura? Freaking awesome. Just got caught up with the manga, now I'm watching the anime. -Sigh- the only thing I don't like is Sheimi. I mean, she was alright, I guess, in the manga. But it's just way too set up in the anime. :/ Ah, well. I'm also sad that Amaimon 'died' and got turned into a hamster. Whats up with that? Ah, and that the anime is possibly complete.

Another thing, that, if you want, you can give me opinions on. My friend's having a Halloween party, right? Well, tell me which sounds like the best costume: A: My first choice because it's easy. A demon from Ao No Exorcist. Like just making a tail, fangs, and ears. Oh, and a badass outfit, of course. And maybe one of our swords... If I can FIND the one with the dragon hilt. If not then I could ask mom if I can borrow our Civil War one... B: An Irken, from Invader Zim. The hardest, by far, for I'd have to make the eyes and antennae and outfit, which would be difficult... C: Fem. Yugi. Would have to find the right wig and dye it, of course...

Personally, I prefer A, just because it's so simple yet so badass at the same time. XD

Oh, and I wrote some on my LDS-YGO HP crossover. But, no. It will not be out until I feel like it. Which would be after this story. So don't even ask. ^.^

**Yami/Hikari Speech: **Yugi- _\Like this\_ Yami-_/Like This/_ Ryou- _(Like This)_ Bakura- _((Like This))_ Malik- _[Like This]_ Marik- _[[Like This]]_

_Yugi: Yami should totally sell this game. I'd make millions! :D_

_Yami: You?_

_Yugi: Well, since I am your only link to the outside world... Yes. Me._

_Yami: ...Gee, thanks, Aibou. -Sulks in a corner-_

_Yugi: 'Welcome! ^.^_

_**Masks**_

_A **Yu-Gi-Oh!** Fanfic_

_**Light, Darkness, and Shadows Universe**_

_By **Clockwork Soul**_

_**Chapter 4: Hot Hockey! All Copyrights Go to Yami.**_

_**~Yami's Temporary Soul Room, 6:10 AM~**_

Yami unconsciously tightened his arms around the sleeping light in his arms. They were laying on his bed after they had passed out after searching fruitlessly for a hint of Yami's memories.

His temporary soul room was dark, like the rest of the labyrinth of his mind, and had hieroglyphics carved into the walls. The door was made of metal, like the entrance to his soul room, and there was a large bed in the center of the room, and a chest at it's foot that held various nick-knacks, varying from games to little trinkets. Two paintings (For photos were just to modern for his tastes. I mean, how the hell is getting blinded by light supposed to capture your image, anyways?) were hung on the wall behind the bed, one of him and Yugi, the other of all their friends.

Yami yawned as he started to wake. He opened his eyes, blinking back sleep. He glanced down at the sleeping girl, a small smile on his lips. He shook her lightly, "Wake up, Game."

She groaned and snuggled closer to him, muttering, "Five more minutes, damnit..." He sighed.

This would be difficult.

_**~Japan, Domino City, 7:23 AM~**_

Yugi and Jou walked though the alleyways of Domino, taking the quickest route to school. Jou was boasting of a fight.

"Damn, I'm unlucky—it only lasted one round!"

Yugi sighed, "Jou, your lucky you managed to land even one punch. Four guys, Jou. _Four guys_. How, in the name of Ra, did you get buy with just a _scrape_?"

Jou chuckled, smirking, "Why, with my amazing skills, of course!"

Yugi rolled her eyes and they continued walking.

_Crash!_

Jou jumped back with a 'manly' yelp as the hunk of metal crashed down not a foot from him. He glanced over at Yugi, whirling around when she wasn't there. He looked behind him, to find her clinging to a pole ten feet away. He sweat-dropped, "H-how the hell did you get way over there?"

She gulped and detached herself from the pole, "Womens intuition—it warned me just in time."

_**~Japan, Domino High School, 12:10 AM~**_

"...Physic? At this school?"

Yugi was blinking at Miho, who nodded, "Yeah- In Class A. Says he sees the future. You know that kid whose house burned down? Yeah, he predicted it _3 days_ before it actually happened."

Yugi snorted, "Sounds like a ridiculously over-done scam, if you ask me."

But, of course, Jou wasn't listening, "I am totally getting my fortune told! Come on!" He yelled excitedly, grabbing Yugi's hand, who yelped and grabbed Miho's hand, who grabbed Honda's sleeve, who grabbed Hanasaki's jacket.

"When the hell did this turn into follow the leader!" Honda cried as they were dragged out of the classroom.

_**~Japan, Domino High School, 12:13 AM~**_

"_OoooOooOoOoooo~"_

Kakurano, the physic, waved his hands dramatically.

"_I see!_ You shall live a long and happy life!"

The girl in front of his desk squealed, "Yes! I knew it, Kakurano-sama!"

Kakurano smirked, "Who's next?"

"Yug', you go first!" Jou said, grinning.

"What!"

"Yeah, Yugi-chan!" Miho said, pushing her toward the desk. Yugi grumbled and sighed, looking at the boy before her. She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. She jumped as the ground started shaking, causing a few kids to lose their balance in the crowd. Everyone sighed in relief when is stopped.

"That was a big one..." Jou muttered.

"You!" Kakurano said, pointing at Jou, who glanced around before pointing at himself.

"Me?"

"Yes. Earlier, you thought 'I want to get my fortune told!', correct? However," He continued, "I am no ordinary fortune teller! I see clear and true visions of the future!" He sighed and reached into his cloak, "But mere words cannot convey this, so here, proof—I wrote down one of my visions this morning." He brought out a slip of paper and handed it to Jou, who read it aloud.

"Today an earthquake will come?" He stared in amazement while the girls in the room clapped excitedly, tossing words of praise to Kakurano. Yugi continued to look on, unimpressed.

"Please. You could have just hidden different slips of paper under your cloak."

"What are you saying?" Yelled one of the girls, "You doubt Kakurano-sama's power?"

"Are you saying I'm lying about my power?" Kakurano said, ignoring her.

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Yugi said, crossing her arms, "I've seen similar tricks. You could have written down several different predictions and hid them under your cloak, and when the earthquake hit, you just chose the right one." She shrugged, "But perhaps I'm just skeptical." She held out her hand, "Now, prediction, before I get bored and leave."

Kakurano sat there, shocked for a moment, before smirking and taking her hand. He looked at it, feeling up her hand. Yugi twitched when he didn't stop, and her eyes tinted red as Yami looked through them, his overprotectiveness about to make him snatch her hand back.

"_I see! I see!"_ He suddenly called, still holding her hand, "Soon, a wonderful man will reveal himself to you! You will surrender body and soul to him."

That did it.

Yugi and Yami (For their minds had merged) snatched their hand back, "Yeah, and now I know your faking. No thanks, I don't go out with fake physics who use their non-existent powers to hit on girls. I'm already taken." They turned on their heel and stalked out of the door. They paused and looked back at the silent mob of girls, "If you really want to know if he's a real physic, ask him to take off his cloak. I'm-" They had to remember not to say 'we're' "-certain that you'll find a ton of slips of paper." They continued out.

The red in Yugi's eyes melted away as Yami went back to his soul room. Her friends ran out beside her. There was a unified gasp from the girls in the room, then angry shouts.

Honda and Jou growled in unison, "Creep."

_**~Japan, Domino High School, The Next Day, 8:30 AM~**_

"Now, we shall decide what to do for the school festival!"

Mazaki Anzu of the Festival Committee, Class B representative, stood in front of the class. People tossed out random ideas, until Jounouchi stood.

"Everyone, listen to my idea!" He yelled, and everyone turned to him, "Now, we gotta steal the guests from the other classes, right? Therefore, 'Sex Appeal' will decide the winner! I call it the 'Real High-School Girl Cabaret!' You see—" He was cut off as something hit him in the back of the head, sending him tumbling to the floor. Yugi stood behind him, a very large book in her hand.

"You finish that, Jounouchi Katsuya, I will send you straight to hell. Now. _Sit. Down._"

Needless to say, he quickly obliged.

She sat back down, propping her boot-clad feet on her desk, re-opening her book. She noticed everyone staring at her. "Take a picture, it'll last longer." She snapped.

Needless to say, they quickly reverted their attention back to Anzu.

Said pom coughed slightly, and votes for the attraction started up again, all being shot down. This went on for about five minutes before Yugi sighed, snapped her book closed, and stood. Everyone watched warily as she walked to the board, plucked the chalk from Anzu's hand, and wrote with a flourish:

'Carnival Games, you morons.'

She turned and walked back to her seat, tossing the chalk behind her shoulder, which landed with a 'clang' in the chalk-holder at the bottom of the board. There was silence until:

"...That's actually a pretty good idea..."

"Yeah, I say we do it!"

"Though I could do without the 'morons' part, it does sound fun."

"Carnival Games it is!"

_**~Japan, Domino High School, The Next Day, 2:34 AM~**_

In the end, they decided on three games: Human Pop-Up Pirate, the classic Hit the Bottle!, and Target Practice. Yugi sat at a desk inside their area—Mazaki actually managed to get a decent spot, surprise, surprise—putting the last touches on the sign. She, being the one with the best artistic talent in their class, was elected to paint the sign and make the pirate head. She sighed, wiping her hand on her formally-black skirt—a bad habit she had—and called out, "Oi! The sign's done, Ribbon-chan!"

Miho 'yipped' when she saw it, and recruited a group of boys to take it outside and hang it up, Yugi warning them that if they screwed it up, she would feed them to her 'pet'. Not that she actually had a 'pet', mind you, but it was enough to make sure they didn't mess up the still wet paint.

Miho tossed over the cardboard circle that was the Bluebeard head and a sealed container of paper-mache glue. Yugi pulled over a box of precut newspaper and set to work. She jumped when Miho squealed, and cursed fluently when she got a paper cut.

"Damnit, Ribbon-chan! What was that for!"

"Sorry, Yugi-chan! Look, though!" She called back. Yugi turned and looked over at where she, Jou, and Honda were standing. She grinned when she saw Jou and Honda standing there proudly next to an innocent-looking barrel.

"Hey, nice work, boys! Maybe your not so useless after all!" She grinned wider when a chorus of 'Hey's came at her. She turned back to the pirate head.

A few minutes later, "Yatta!" Yugi held up the completed Bluebeard head. She glanced over at where Jou was testing the barrel. She smirked and walked over. Jou sat inside the barrel, grinning. "Here, Jou." She said, placing the Bluebeard head on his, "Your costume!"

"Hell no!" He cried.

"Awe, but everything fits you!" She said, grinning when the others joined in.

"What are you brats doing here?"

Everyone paused as the voice rang out, turning to see Class D standing there, carrying a huge iron plate. Anzu came forward, "Preparing for the festival, of course."

The one who spoke, Inogashira Gorou, scoffed, "Your joking. Every year for the past three years, Class D has used this spot!"

"We won this spot in the lottery fair and square!"

"Please. Listen up! Every year, Class D comes to this spot to cook okonomiyaki! It's tradition! So take this 'Carnival Game' trash someplace else!"

Jou growled beside her, taking off the Bluebeard head, "Hey, you! Beat it!" He started to make his way out of the barrel, "You'll be sorry you ever picked a fight with us!"

Inogashira laughed as Jou paled when his foot got caught, "Please!" He pulled his fist back and hit Jou on the jaw, "Just go die."

"Jou!" Miho yelled, dropping down beside him.

"Hey!" Inogashira yelled at his classmates, "Tear it down!"

"Yes sir!"

Honda growled and jumped in the way of the iron plate, "No way!"

_Crash!_

_**~Japan, Domino High School Nurses Office, 5:34 AM~**_

Yugi sat backwards in a chair, facing the bed. Her arms were crossed on the back of the chair, making an effective pillow for her chin. She had a blank look to her eyes.

Jou was ranting about Class D, while Hanasaki and Miho fussed over Honda, who was still out cold. Honda groaned, drawing everyone's—bar Yugi's—attention to him, "Gah... what hit me..?"

"A very large, very heavy iron plate." Miho supplied.

He rubbed his ribs, which were still sore, "That sounds about right... And the games?"

Miho sighed and fiddled with the hem of her skirt, "I guess it'll just have to wait until next year."

There was a sad silence after this statement. Suddenly, Yugi's puzzle glowed, and the Eye appeared on her forehead. Her shadow twisted before rising up, becoming tangible. It separated from the ground, leaving Yugi without a shadow, and flew out the open window. As the light dimmed, Yugi sighed.

"Yami wants to help, despite the fact that I told him it's fine. I'll provide you guys with the feedback." She informed them, before her eyes went blank again.

_**~Japan, Domino High School, 6:00 AM~**_

"Who are you?"

Inogashira was confused. He had gotten a call about 20 minutes ago, telling him that he needed to come to the school, that it was about the festival. Now, here stood some strange kid wearing an outfit similar to his school uniform, except it was black, with the strangest hairstyle he'd ever seen.

"A friend of the ones who built the attraction you and your classmates took over." Yami said, his crimson-amethyst eyes—for Yugi was looking through his eyes—narrowing, "If you have any courage, you'll play a game with me...

"A Yami no Game!"

"'Yami no Game'..." Inogashira muttered, "Heh, I hate to stoop so low as to accept a challenge from a kid, but you've got me interested. How do you play this game?"

Yami smirked and pointed to the left, where the iron plat sat, with a wall of bricks on it's sides, "We shall play using that! It's already heated, too..." He moved to one end, where there was a gap in the barrier of bricks, and Inogashira moved to the other side. He brought out a large lump of ice, that had a tube in it's center, "We'll also be using this! In it's center, is a tube of gunpowder solution! If it touches the iron plate, it will explode."

He tossed a metal spatula to Inogashira, "We'll use these for rackets." He dropped the ice on the plate, and it instantly started melting. He hit it towards Inogashira, "Whoever wins shall use this spot during the festival, there will be no objections!"

_\Don't lose, m'kay?\_ Yugi's voice came through, _\I don't feel like having my boyfriend burned to a crisp.\_

Yami chuckled, _/Don't worry Game, I _never_ lose./_

The ice came closer to Inogashira, and Yami called out, "Game Start!"

Inogashira hit the ice, sending it shooting back towards Yami, "When it comes to using these spatulas, I'm in a league of my own!" Yami pulled back, before hitting the ice straight back to Inogashira, who hit it back, "Damn... It's melting so quickly, like a time bomb!" He exclaimed.

Yami hit it back, albeit with some difficulty, _/Damn is right! He's attacking me with the ice as if it's a freaking rock!/_

"What's wrong? You've got to return it!" Inogashira mocked, laughing as he hit it back, harder, "This is game that shows my superior strength! It's one-sided! I'll just keep hitting it back harder!"

Yami growled as he hit it again.

Then he smirked.

_\Uh-oh~!\_ Yugi sang happily, as she saw his plan.

Yami placed his spatula to where it was pointing towards the incoming ice. As the ice hit it's point, Yami pushed back, making a small crack, and turned the ice slightly to where the crack was pointing at Inogashira. Inogashira pulled back and hit the ice, and the crack, with all his strength, laughing.

_Crack!_

Inogashira stared as the two perfect halves of the ice went careening in different directions, leaving the tube of gunpowder to drop to the plate, "W-what...?" Was all he got out before it exploded.

Yami chuckled as his body started to become shadows once more, "As per the agreement, Class B will use this spot in the festival."

_**~Japan, Domino High, The Day of the Festival~**_

And so, the day of the festival came. Everyone worked hard the day before to rebuild the Carnival Games just in time. Jou was still Bluebeard, and Miho and Yugi invited people in. Honda worked the conveyor belt for the Target Practice game, and Hanasaki set the prizes, and Anzu worked the Hit the Bottle! game.

_Boing!_

"Gaaaaah!" Jou yelled as he was thrown out of the barrel.

"That looks painful for Jounouchi-san..." A boy muttered as he came into the attraction.

Yugi grinned at him, "Yeah, isn't it great?"

And in the end, it was a huge success!

_**~Yami no Linebreak!~**_

**A/N:** Ha! Bet you were expecting two Shadow Games! =D It just made more sense to me if they just forced What's-His-Physic-Face to remove his cloak. =3

**_~Edit: Fixed some things I didn't see when I read through it the first time, nothing major.~_**


	5. Revelations and a Teacher

**A/N:** -Stifles a giggle- Hehe, I love the name to this chapter, and the fact that it's me arguing to the Yugi in my head that it probably _wont_ help isn't making laughing my head off any easier when I think about how I'm arguing with my self.

I'm really strange sometimes, and my friends never cease to tell me this. XD I love them. I'm feeling in a decidedly cheerful mood, so I dedicate this chapter to them—It will be uneventfully eventful, something me and my few partners in crime manage to do everyday despite the fact that it's an oxymoron and—to the normal human—quite impossible.

Don't ask me how. I really don't know, but it's the best way to describe it.

As for Yugi's sudden artistic ability, that's actually mine. Except I improved her greatly, seeing as I suck horribly at drawing hands and feet, and Yugi can draw Yami's damnable hair, and quite a few other things that leave me frustrated and rather irritable.

And I've changed my line breaks, leaving out the time and just going for the place and day.

_**Masks**_

_A **Yu-Gi-Oh!** Fanfic_

_**Light, Darkness, and Shadows Universe**_

_By **Clockwork Soul**_

_**Chapter 5: Oh, Dear. Revelations. Ra Knows That Wont Help. And What's This About a Teacher...?**_

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, After School, Friday~**_

Yugi was sitting back on her bed, drawing a picture of Yami. The dark was sitting on the other side of the bed, immersed in one of Yugi's electronic games. She sketched him nearly perfectly, sitting there with his attention diverted completely to the little devise in order to combat his boredom and the forces of evil.

Yugi had just finished the last, careful strokes on his face and set the sketchpad down when the game gave a triumphant song and powered down. Yami blinked at it for a moment before sighing and tossing the completed game on the bed before announcing, "I'm bored."

Yugi leveled him with her amethyst gaze, one eyebrow raised slightly, "You just finished Zelda and your already bored." It wasn't a question, but Yami smirked and nodded. Yugi sighed and Yami blinked as her thoughts took a completely different turn, and wondered over an idea he knew she had been contemplating asking him about for the past few days.

He moved over, sitting on the bed next to Yugi and picking up her sketchbook and looking at the drawing, sightly embarrassed at the care the hikari had put into drawing him. He looked up at her, smirking slightly, "So, are you going to tell me what you've been scheming, Game?"

He felt her hesitate before sighing and leaning against him, Yami wrapping his arm around her shoulders absently as the idea filtered through their link. He went quite still. _\Please Yami?\_ She pleaded, _\I hate lying to him, I really do.\_

Yami sighed irritably, remembering the dream his light had the day she solved the puzzle and found himself wholeheartedly agreeing with his past self—he'll never be able to argue with the stubborn girl.

Yugi had sent over everything she knew, including the dream, and Yami returned the favor, hoping to find out something, but they had, once again, came up with nothing much. And, unfortunately, it took very complex magic to unweave the magic binding Yugi's memories, and it was difficult and depleted their strength, so they had abandoned that in favor of mainly searching Yami's soul and occasionally working out one of the binding spells.

He sighed again and returned to the present, where Yugi's head was resting against his shoulder, amethyst eyes looking up pleadingly. Yami almost cringed. Damnit. He looked around for something to distract himself from the insanely adorable eyes, but always caught himself turning back.

He stared at her for a moment longer, eyes narrow and determined not to lose, until her bottom lip pouted out and Yami sighed, grumbling. Yugi immediately recognized that as a 'Yes' and promptly glomped him in a hug. She smiled at him brightly, kissing him lightly on the cheek, "Thanks, Yami. I'm sure he'll like you." He just sighed again and smiled faintly.

He knew telling Sugoroku Motou about his existence was going to be difficult, and Yugi, despite herself, knew this too, and was quite worried. He captured her lips in a kiss to try and ease her worries and she readily deepened it.

Difficult, yes. But it could wait.

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, Saturday~**_

Sugoroku was minding his own business, sitting behind the counter working when his granddaughter came down the stairs. He immediately knew something was up and was prepared to either flee or be braced for whatever it was his ward had to tell him. She came in with a slightly worried look, chewing her lip thoughtfully, her eyes strangely blank as she walked over to the door, flipped the over the closed sign, and walked to the living room, beckoning him to come with her.

He did so warily. A worried Yugi was definitely something to be bothered about.

She sat on the couch, and pointed to the chair across from her. Sugoroku obeyed instantly. He watched as Yugi glanced over at the space next to her, the blankness leaving her eyes and filling with confidence before she looked back at him.

She sucked in a breath, "Jii-chan, I've got something really important to tell you." She began. Her eyes flicked over to the space next to her again before turning back to him so quickly he almost thought she didn't. She lifted up the Sennen Puzzle, which was still hanging from the chain. He had hardly ever seen her take off the Item, and even then was only for a few moments.

"Do you... remember what was on the Puzzle's box?" She asked, "'Whoever solves this shall inherit my dark knowledge and power.'" She continued without him answering. He eyes had traveled down to the faintly glowing Puzzle, and she smiled at it slightly.

Sugoroku nodded slightly, "Yes, but what...?" He started but Yugi interrupted him, her fingers tightened on the Puzzle as if steeling herself.

"It's not a lie. The Puzzle has power unimaginable."

Sugoroku blinked, this was definitely not what he was expecting, "...Wha?" He managed to ask. Yugi looked up at him and smiled slightly, quickly giving him a dimmed down workings of what she called Shadow Magic. She lifted her hand and in response a trail of shadows detached themselves from the nearest shadow and circled her hand. She played with it absently as she explained, and Sugoroku was appropriately startled.

He chuckled slightly after she had finished answering all of his questions, "Well, this is certainly something I didn't expect. My granddaughter's a... What did you call it? Oh, right, Shadow Mage."

"That's not all..." Yugi's voice was soft and worried. He didn't think that was all—she wouldn't be so overly worried about it if it was just that, "The Puzzle, it originated in Kemet." She stated, unknowingly using the ancient word for Egypt, "It has the power of the Shadows bound to it, but that is not all..." She trailed off and sent another glance at the space at her left, "We are not even sure of it all, but things are how they are and it is how it should be." She murmured, startling the elder at the unexpected use of plurals, "Jii-chan," She said, looking up at him with eyes pleading him to understand, "Many years ago, there was a catastrophe that struck the land of Kemet. We don't know what it was, but it was powerful enough for the Pharaoh, the strongest Shadow Mage, and his Queen, the second strongest, to go out to destroy or seal the danger that terrorized their people.

"They succeeded in sealing away the danger and the Shadows, but at the cost of their souls and memories. The Pharaoh, who had mainly been the one to weave the spell, had his half-soul sealed away with the Shadows. The Queen died and her half-soul went on to be reincarnated."

Sugoroku was incredibly confused. Half-soul? Shadows? Queen? Pharaoh? Sealed? Reincarnated? The thoughts buzzed around his head, but held his tongue when Yugi sighed and looked down again, at the Puzzle.

"I am the Queen. Queen Yugi, the Queen of Games and Light of the Shadows.

"The Pharaoh's soul resides in the Sennen Puzzle. Pharaoh Yami, King of Games and Master of the Shadows."

Sugoroku stared at her for a long time before deciding to go with the easiest option, "Can I... meet this Yami?" Yugi smiled at him and nodded, turning to the space beside her before closing her eyes, concentrating. Suddenly, a bright glow from both the Puzzle and a strange eye on her forehead burst forth, and her shadow jumped up to the space, leaving her shadowless.

He watched, fascinated, as the shadows twisted and intertwined to form a substantial form. Soon, they took the form of a young teenager—probably no older then 15. He was dressed entirely in black leather, with incredibly spiky hair, that defied all laws of gravity and stuck up determinedly in a vague star shape. In coloring, it was similar to Yugi's, the only difference being that his tips were a bloody crimson, the same color as his eyes.

The spirit sat casually, and nodded at Sugoroku, "Hello." He spoke in a calm, deep baritone.

The elder squeaked slightly, "O-oh my! H-hello there." He managed with a bright, if not uncertain, smile.

Yugi smiled happily, apparently satisfied everything was going well, "Well, since introductions are unneeded and a utter waste of time, we'll get on to other things." She muttered, "Is there anything else you needed to know, Jii-chan?"

He nodded. Most definitely, "What did you mean when you said half-soul?"

Yugi sighed and sweat-dropped, "Typical. You pick out the most confusing and hard to explain thing first." She sighed and glanced at Yami, who picked up.

"When some souls are brought into existence, their souls are split in half for unknown reasons. Yugi and I are one example of that case. We are, quite literally, soul mates, simply because we are two halves of a single soul that will never be merged together again." He frowned slightly, "Our soul was split almost so perfectly, however, that most darkness stayed with me, and most light stayed with Yugi. That made it exceedingly more uncomfortable to be away from one another, as my darkness and her light needed each other to balance each other out." He gave a shrug, "That is about all we know."

Sugoroku stared for a moment before nodding slightly, "And... did you say Queen and Pharaoh? And what do you mean, Queen and King of Games, and Light of the Shadows, and Master of the Shadows?" He continued.

Yugi shifted uncomfortably, "Yami was Pharaoh, and I his Queen." She smirked at him slightly, "I suppose this is where I tell you that I finally have a boyfriend." Yami had on a slightly smug smirk, and Sugoroku chuckled, "As for the others? Those are our titles, what we found out we were known by. We were masters of games, both Yami no Game and any other. The Shadows will listen to Yami always, he is their master. They need my light-filled soul in order for balance. I suppose you could call me second-in-command of them." She continued, smiling slightly.

Sugoroku sighed and leaned back in his chair, "And you say you were sealed?" He asked Yami, who frowned.

"Yes. As payment for the spell, my soul was sealed in the Puzzle."

"...And this business with reincarnation? You believe that?"

Yugi nodded, "Only way to explain it. The gods reincarnated my soul, to be the one to solve the Puzzle and release Yami."

"And you remember everything?"

At that she looked decidedly troubled, and Yami looked more then a little annoyed, "No." She said, "Not much at all. Just what I've dreamed in the past and what we've been able to uncover in our souls." She looked over at Yami with a slightly sad look, "We don't even know Yami's true name." Yami sighed and looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. Yugi gave him a small smile, "Sorry. It just really irks me." He just shook his head and smiled slightly at her in return.

Sugoroku sat there, absorbing everything for a few minutes. Finally, he spoke, "Well... I don't think I ever expected anything like this." He stated, laughing.

Yugi grinned at him, "You and me both."

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, Sunday~**_

"...What?"

Jou and Honda stood in the Kame Game Shop, watching bemused as Yugi ran, chasing something, with a large frying pan in her hand.

"Damnable spirit! Get back here!" She yelled as she took a swing at what they guessed was Yami's head. They heard a vague echoing laugh that sounded like the spirit. Yugi growled, dropped the frying pan, and took off again before tackling air. She glared fiercely at the floor, while she sat on top of the invisible spirit.

Sugoroku came in then, whistling a merry tune as he carried a wad of paper that had something on them. Jou pointed to the girl, "So... what made her so mad at him?" He asked, glancing over at her, where she was still glaring. He was surprised she didn't burn a hole into the floor—er, Yami's head.

The elder shrugged, "Oh, he just caused her to spill Coke on her homework." He said, moving to throw the paper in the trash. Yugi's head snapped up to glare at him.

"Hey! Don't throw them away! I might be able to salvage—Oh no you don't!" She growled the last part, latching onto the invisible spirit's collar. A bright yellow glow and a flowing shadow later, Yami lay on his stomach, indignant, visible to the other three in the room.

"But light!" He whined.

"But dark!" She whined right back. She then turned to her two friends with a bright, innocent, and obviously dangerous smile that made them take a step back, fearing for their souls, "So! What do you want?"

Honda gulped, "Well, I need help. With a girl."

"Oh? Who?" She said, turning toward them, still sitting on Yami's back with her right hand clutching the silver studded collar around his neck.

"Get off me!" He growled. She ignored him, crossing her legs and looking rather comfortable. Jou and Honda walked forward, crouching before her and choosing to follow her lead and ignoring the irate dark.

"Well," Honda started, blushing furiously, looking down at his hands, "I-It's actually Ribbon-chan..." He admitted.

Yugi blinked owlishly at him for a moment, and even Yami stopped struggling to stare at Honda. They turned to each other before shrugging and looking back at Honda, identical grins on their faces, "Knew it'd happen someday." Yugi said, "So, Lover Boy, what do you have in mind for our dear Ribbon-chan?"

Yami huffed and propped his head up with his hand, deciding to just listen and occasionally send glares to the hikari sitting on top of him.

Honda shrugged, "I dunno, I've never been good with this stuff... But your a girl!" He cried, "Your like, born with this junk in your head!"

Yugi stared at him for a long while, "First off, that is _so_ sexist. Second off... Jii-chan! You got anything?" She called to the elder behind the counter, who grinned and nodded. Sugoroku soon came over to their little huddle with a white box.

"I used this to get your grandmother back in the day!" He stated proudly as he opened it to reveal a blank jigsaw puzzle, "You write down your feelings and there you go!"

Jou snickered, "_So_ not your style, Honda."

Honda was looking at the puzzle with reverence, "No... it's perfect..." He tossed a wad of bills at Sugoroku and grabbed the box, a delighted grin on his face. The grin fell when he realized something, then he brightened again and thrust the box at Yugi, "You! You write it! She's your best friend, and I've never been good with this junk!"

Yugi glared at him, "Fine, but you owe me something in return."

And now Honda was fearing for his soul once again. He gulped and nodded.

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, Sunday~**_

Yugi stared at the puzzle for a long moment, waiting for inspiration to hit her. She had finally released Yami, and now he, Honda, and Jou sat on the couch, watching her. She tapped the marker on the table irritably as she thought.

_/It can't be that hard, Game./_ Yami's voice filtered through the link. Her head snapped up to glare at him.

_\Oh, I'd just love to see you write a love letter, O Great and Mighty Pharaoh.\_ She ignored his protests and went back to staring at the jigsaw puzzle. She twitched, "Might as well go with the cliche poem.." She muttered and pulled off the marker cap.

"Roses are red,

Ribbons are yellow.

I cannot tell,

How much I love you.

Love, Honda Hiroto." (**A/N:** Oh, wow, that's terrible! XD)

She recited as she wrote. Jou and Yami were nodding sagely, and Honda was nodding furiously, a big grin on his face, "Yes! Perfect! You got any wrapping paper?" She nodded and stood, tossing the puzzle to Honda who began breaking it up carefully. She came back and wrapped it in a light blue wrapping paper, topping it all off with a yellow ribbon.

She handed it back to Honda with a grin, "There you go, Lover Boy."

_**~Japan, Domino City, Monday~**_

Yugi trudged to school, looking rather tired and dejected. _\Shouldn't have stayed up all night to do that paper...\_ She moaned. Yami phased out of the Puzzle, slightly transparent and with an amused look on his face.

_/And this is what happens when you don't listen when I tell you to go to sleep./_ He said cheerfully. She glared at him, and he grinned back at her, _/Here, why don't you go ahead and sleep in your soul room. I'll wake you up when we get to school./_

Yugi nodded, her gratefulness washing through their link as she retreated into her soul room. Yami took control of her body, and, after shaking off the odd feeling of being in a girl's body, he started walking towards school—keeping far away from the road, mind you. He still didn't trust cars. Her amethyst eyes turned a bloody red, and her hair gained his trade-mark golden lightning-like bangs that shot through her ponytail—she was much to tired to bother with fixing it properly—and the amethyst ends became crimson.

After a few minutes he heard the bell ring in the distance and yelped, readjusting his grip on Yugi's messenger bag and sprinting off towards the school. He nudged Yugi mentally as he entered the building. She groaned phased out of her soul room, rubbing her eyes. _\Not much of a nap...\_

_/Sorry, Game./_ He apologized, _/But your late and we're nearly there./_ She nodded and floated beside him as he made his way to the door of the class. They blinked when they saw Yugi's teacher holding Honda's present to Miho. She made to tear away the wrapping paper, but Yami smirked and snapped his fingers, and the shadows in the room lengthened. "Yami no Game..." He murmured as Chouno suddenly gasped and fell to the ground as her soul was taken to the Shadow Realm, present unharmed. Yugi rolled her eyes as she was brought back into control, and her hair and eyes going back to normal. Yami smirked at her before his soul followed the teacher.

Yugi entered the class silently, cries of, "Sensei!" "Chouno-sensei!" filling her ears as she made her way over to Jou and Honda. Honda was smiling, glad the sadistic rule-enforcing teacher didn't take the jigsaw puzzle. Jou raised an eyebrow at her, "Was that you? Because that was just way to lucky."

She grinned as she knelt down, as if she was tieing her boot laces, "Nah, it was Yami." She grabbed the present a shadow had snatched and brought to her. She straightened and hid the present behind her back as Miho and Hanasaki came over to them.

"Hey, Ribbon-chan, Hanasaki." She greeted.

"Hi, Yugi-chan, Jou, Honda." Miho replied, smiling. Yugi smirked and held out the present, which Miho took, a surprised look on her face, "Is this from you, Yugi-chan?"

Yugi shook her head, amethyst eyes amused, "Nay," She said dramatically, throwing an arm around Miho's shoulders and waving her hand in front of them equally dramatically, "But from a gallant man hoping to win thy heart, fair Ribbon-chan!"

One second passed.

Then two.

"Nyeh-hahaha!" Jou doubled over laughing, Yugi soon joining him. Honda glared at them as they straightened, leaning on each other for support. Jou wiped a tear from his eye, "Gallant man..." He sighed, "That was a good one."

Honda whacked them upside the head when Miho's attention was diverted, while Hanasaki looked on, amused. Yugi had told him earlier about Honda's affections.

"Chouno-sensei is waking up..." Miho stated, looking over at the teacher, putting the present in her bag.

"Oh?" Yugi asked, already feeling Yami return to the Puzzle. He phased out with a dark smirk, wrapping his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. Chouno stood up shakily, and looked around warily. There was a pause, and then a crack appeared on her face.

_/Illusion of Truth./_ Yami murmured.

Her make-up cracked away, crumbling to the floor, leaving Chouno with a mean and ugly face. She screamed, her hands hiding her face as she ran out of the class, leaving most of the students confused.

In the end, Miho completed the puzzle, and returned Honda's feelings.

"Huh, who knew anyone could love someone like you, Lover Boy." Jou said jokingly, as Honda joined them with a dazed expression.

"Are you two going to keep calling me that?" He asked.

"Yep!" Jou and Yugi replied cheerfully.

_**~Yami no Linebreak!~**_

**A/N: **Another chapter!

**Ranting Time~!:** I've drawn Malik, Bakura, Fem!Yugi, and my own OC, Nafre. All I have to do is finish Yami ("'EFF'ing hair!" -Tosses Yami attempt in the trash and grabs hair in frustration.- "Gods, If I can pull off Fem!Yugi why, in the name of Ra, can't I do Yami?") and maybe draw Fem!Ryou, Ribbon-chan, Hanasaki, and Jou, then color them and they will be posted in my DeviantART. Hopefully soon, seeing as I'm having a blast coloring Malik.

I really do love Ma-chan. :D So painless to draw and such an awesome character at the same time. Though, it took me until after I penned in everything, uploaded him into the computer, and really looked at him that I noticed that I made his eyes similar to every other YGO character and not his simple lilac with a barely noticeable pupil. I was understandably pissed (One "WHAT THE FU-" and a massive headdesk to stop the string of curses I knew my mother would kill me for.) and changed it immediately on the comp, deciding I'd redraw him later. (This pissed me off further, seeing as I drew him freaking PERFECTLY! :D And only on my third try! The first was simply a test and turned out rather well, so, at school the next day, I drew him in a pose he'd be proud of with a sexy smirk, and it turned out FABULOUS~! The third, was just to redraw the first, seeing as it was just a test on regular paper and not the new sketching paper I had just gotten that day after school. I was so proud...)

And I really love how Bakura came out, I managed to pull off his slightly insane look with his eyes and a well-placed malicious grin. That was my first time ever drawing 'Kura-kun, and I think I did him justice.

Fem!Yugi turned out to be surprisingly easy, what with my strange difficulty to get regular Yugi's and Yami's hair. Though I didn't make her eyes like that of regular Yug'. =3 I took that hard into consideration, and it just didn't go with her style.

At all.

Nafre, by far, surprised me the most out of all of them. I had drawn her multiple times over, just little sketches, but this was the first time I really settled down to draw her outright. For some strange, unknown reason, she actually looked like the demented love-child of Malik and Bakura. Immediately after this thought I collapsed in a fit of uncontrollable giggles and I think my mom thought I went insane. I even told my best-friend, Izzie, and she laughed, even though she had never seen the series! (Though, I do talk about it enough, she probably picked up the fact long ago that Malik and Bakura have a non-existent -Resists disclaiming this- yaoi relationship. Plus she'd seen Leather Pants by LittleKuriboh and absolutely loved it.)

Anyways.

She managed to come out with quite a few pieces of gold, and she will have tanned skin like Malik's, as she is Egyptian, but she managed to come out with Bakura's slightly insane look. And she apparently has a dragon tattoo that looks suspiciously like Slifer on her left arm. _WHEN THE HELL WAS I GOING TO GET NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS?_ I have absolutely no control over her now. Damn her, sitting smugly in her corner in my mind while 'Kura and Ma-chan gagged, with the rest laughing uncontrollably.

Damn them all.

_Nafre: We love you too~!_

_Malik: Love-child. What the FRIG._

_Bakura: Bloody fangirls..._

_Clockwork Soul: -Torments them a little more before her will broke when faced with Ryou's pleading eyes.- 'EEF!'ing hikaris... -Making sure to use Malik's bleep, she grumbled and relented.- _

Hehe, sorry. I had to rant a bit.


	6. Insert Witty Title Here

**A/N:** I... need more fluff in this story. But I don't think I'm that good at it... Oh well, I'll probably squeeze some into the next chapter (Which I cannot wait for—Seto comes in! :D)

Oh, and for the one person who asked for my DA account, it's on my profile. You can either click on my website button, or it's right up near the top, in the about me section. :D I've gotten Malik posted, and he is so bloody awesome. ^^ I re-drew Fem!Yugi, Gotta re-draw Bakura because my pen is an bitch, and I'm still having issues with Yami (Haaaaaair. D:). I've got an idea for Fem!Ryou, but haven't drawn her yet. And I screwed up on the re-draw of Nafre, so I'll have to re-do her.

_**Masks**_

_A **Yu-Gi-Oh!** Fanfic_

_**Light, Darkness, and Shadows Universe**_

_By **Clockwork Soul**_

_**Chapter 6: Insert Witty Title Here**_

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, Tuesday~**_

"I need c_hange_."

Yami stopped in his mindless clicking, pausing Zelda, and looked up from the Gameboy, "Change?" He repeated.

Yugi was staring at her usual attire, which was just a modified version of her schools girl uniform (She managed to find a loophole that allowed her to dye everything the way she wanted). Black jacket, black skirt, amethyst bow, amethyst shirt, and black combat boots. Along with all her assorted buckles and chains in one pile. She nodded, not takeing her eyes off the offending clothing.

"Yeah. I bet you I could find another loophole that lets me wear something different, too." She muttered, before turning to her desk. She rummaged around in a drawer for a moment, before she made a triumphant noise, and plopped down on the bed, a small book in hand.

She flipped through it, before coming to the section she wanted. She quickly read through, a smirk forming as she did. Finally, she closed it, "Ha! I'm a genius!" She exclaimed, "Loopholes are amazing. Now, I just need to get the stuff..." She looked over at Yami, "Hey. You said that Shadow Magic allows like, a 'travel by shadows' thing, right?"

He nodded, "Yes. Why?" She grinned, before tossing her idea over the link. Yami processed it for a minute before smirking at her, raising an eyebrow, "Really?"

"Well, yeah. No one can tell me I cant, either." She replied, matching his smirk.

"Alright, then."

_**~Japan, Kame Game Shop, Tuesday~**_

"Alright, tell me how I look."

Yami stared at his light. Yugi was wearing a black leather sleeveless shirt that hugged her slim frame, two belts that circled her midsection tightly, with a black version of the boys uniform leather jacket over it, along with a black version of the boys leather pants, that also hugged her frame. A black leather belt hung loosely around her waist, and a black dog collar circled her neck. She wore black leather shoes, that were pointed slightly at the end, with buckles, and leather bracelets and chains hung on her wrists.

She did a little twirl, "Well? Or are you just stunned speechless?" Yami smirked, coming up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him.

"How you look?" He whispered into her ear, "Game, you have to be the _sexiest_ girl I have ever laid eyes on." Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she smirked at him.

"Oh? Well, the compliment's returned, love." She replied, before their lips came together. His tongue brushed against her lips, requesting entrance, which she instantly allowed, loving his familiar spicy taste. His arms tightened around her waist, pulling her closer. Air soon became a problem, and they pulled apart ruefully.

"Damn! I don't mean to interrupt, but Arcade? Games? Time to spend our entire allowances?"

Yugi and Yami turned to glare at Jou, who grinned at them. Yugi rolled her eyes, detaching from Yami. Jou whistled, "Damn, Yug'! What did you do, find another loophole?"

Yugi smirked, "Yep. Like it?" She did a little twirl as she walked forward, Yami following.

"Like it? Yug', you look hot!" Jou replied, grinning at her.

"Why thank you!"

_**~Japan, Domino City, Wednesday~**_

There was a long pause as Yugi contemplated what she was hearing.

"So, let me get this straight... You spent around 50,000 yen for a pair of fancy shoes."

A nod.

"And just to _get_ the shoes for _that_ price, you risked your life by placing your foot in said fancy shoe that possibly had a poisonous bug in it."

"Scorpion."

"Excuse me for not particularly caring. And _then_, even though you _knew_ it would probably happen, you flaunted the overly expensive, fancy shoes in the _worst_ part of Domino. When people have been stealing shoes lately, for only Djehuty knows why."

Another nod.

"And, of course, they got stolen, and now Honda doesn't know which way is right, and your a human tire."

Nod number three.

"...Jou?"

"Hai?"

"...Your an idiot."

Yugi sighed and sat on the tire that held Jou, looking down at him with a irritated twitch to her eyebrow, while Miho and Hanasaki tended to Honda. "Come on, Yug'!" He whined, looking up at her with pleading brown eyes, "They were just so comfortable, and people with Air Muscles like that get a lot of street cred!"

"Yes, but was it really enough to risk your life?" She asked, glaring down at him, "Damnit, Jou, you could have freaking poisoned yourself, had the shopkeeper actually put the damn bug in the shoe!" She kept her steady glare as she continued, "And then you flaunted them _here_ of all places!" She said, flinging an arm out to indicate the grimy, empty streets of the less-than-friendly part of Domino. "Your just lucky Miho and I were near, and you two hid Hanasaki when they came and he called us, otherwise someone even _worse_ then petty thieves might have come by, and finished you three off!"

She sighed, "It would've really sucked to go back to the way things were, Jou. You guys mean a lot to me." She said, smiling down at him slightly.

He grimaced, understanding why she was mad, "...Sorry, Yug'. Sorry for worrying ya." Then he smiled, "We wont leave you. We promise."

"You better not." She replied, standing up and helping Jou get out of the tire. Jou hopped up and grinned at her, not looking to beat up. Honda got up too, and smirked at Jou.

"Well, are we going?" He asked Jou, who nodded.

"Oh, no you don't!" Miho cried, glaring at both of them, "Don't you dare go looking for revenge!"

Yugi hissed at them, eyes flashing dangerously, "Did _nothing_ I just say get through that head?"

"Yug'." Jou said, grinning at her, "It did. Trust me. But I can't let some punks get off like that."

Yugi glared at him for a minute, while Miho glared at Honda. Jou was still grinning, while Honda was trying to calm his furious girlfriend. Hanasaki sighed and shook his head, knowing that nothing would stop Jou or Honda.

"...Fine. You know what, fine. But, you can only go on one condition, Jounouchi Katsuya." Yugi finally said, a smirk beginning to form, "Ribbon-chan, it's up to you if Lover Boy goes, of course."

"Naturally, Yugi-chan." She replied, "What's your condition?"

"Yami goes with them."

Miho thought for a moment. Three was definitely better than two, and that Shadow Magic is just an added bonus...

"Deal." She said, nodding.

Jou and Honda smirked, "Fine with us. Sure he can handle himself in a fight?"

A snort was Jou's answer, and he turned around, surprised, to see Yami leaning against the wall of the alley, "Please. As if I'd stoop so low as to brawl with pathetic thieves. No, I think I might play a little game with whoever is left..." He said, smirking.

Honda grinned, "Alright then! I remember hearing them say something about an arcade. Lets check the nearest one." The other two nodded, and they took off.

"Be careful!" Hanasaki called.

"Come back safe, damnit!" Miho yelled, glaring at them.

"And for the love of Ma'at, don't pick any unnecessary fights, you butt-munches!" Yugi called, knowing how they (Jou) were.

"We love you too!" They called back.

Hanasaki sighed when they were out of sight, "I hope they'll be alright..."

Yugi smiled at him, "Don't worry. They'll be fine." Then she changed moods rapidly, glaring at the trios generally direction, "But if they get killed, hurt, even _scratched_, so help me, I will go _straight _to the Underworld, hospital, _whatever_, drag their sorry asses to a dark corner, and send them straight to Osiris in the most painful way possible!" She growled.

Hanasaki and Miho sweat-dropped, speaking in unison, "S-Shinigami..." **(A/N:** Means Death God. I thought this fit Yugi. XD Comes from my own nickname at school when I'm in a homicidal mood: Grim Reaper. xP**)**

_**~Japan, Domino City, Wednesday~**_

Yami shivered, instantly knowing that Yugi had just vowed to kill them if any of them got hurt. And probably in the most violent way possible. Honda and Jou felt a chill go down their spine, and knew that Yugi was somehow behind it.

"...I don't want to know." Honda said as the slowed to a stop in an alley way across from the arcade, "Somehow I get the feeling that if we get hurt, Yug' is gonna murder us."

Jou gulped and nodded, "We'd... best hurry. I'm already on her hit list."

Yami and Honda nodded, "Probably best if we wait until they leave, though." Yami said, "To crowded in that small arcade."

"Ya'think she's bipolar?" Jou wondered as they waited, "She went from worried to calm then angry, then worried again, then devious to calm to worried, back to calm, and now shes worried and angry again. All in the span of about 7 minutes."

Honda sniggered, "Run-on sentence, Jou." He ignored the growl that came his way and went back on topic, "Probably. Remember that time when Mazaki was being annoying, and then managed to embarrass herself? She went from calm to pissed to laughing her ass off in 10 seconds flat."

"And that time when she was having a sucky day because it was her birthday and we all pitched in to get her a new art set? She went from cold and annoyed to a mix of sad and ecstatic... And then laughing her ass off at my expense." Jou reminisced.

They had all been surprised the day Yugi came to school, a dejected feel to her. Her eyes were cold and thoroughly annoyed, through she tried to hide it from her friends, which didn't quite work. They had managed to get Yami to spill it was her birthday when they had all went to the park after school.

"_But, for the love of Ra, don't say _anything_!" Yami hissed at Miho, while Jou and Honda was keeping an annoyed Yugi busy._

"_Why not, Yami-kun?" Miho asked, looking confused. Yami sighed._

"_She hates her birthday. It was... the day her grandmother got ill, and died about a week later. They were really close." He explained, somewhat reluctantly, "But don't say anything—For the sake of your souls. And mine. Jii-chan's the only one she'll allow say or give her anything for her birthday."_

"_Oh, poor Yugi-chan." Miho said, looking over at her best friend with sad eyes._

_Then they hardened with determination._

"_I'm getting her a gift!" She declared._

_Yami blinked at the blue-haired girl, before glancing over at his light. Slowly, he nodded, a smile coming onto his face, "...I think we should. It's her first birthday with friends. Lets make it something to be happy about."_

"_What do you think we should get?" She asked, looking over at her red-eyed friend. The crimson irises darkened slightly as he thought, before brightening._

"_Art supplies. It was her grandmother, I believe, who got her into drawing."_

"_Happy Birthday, Miss. Scrooge!"_

_Everyone was grinning at Yugi, a birthday cake with amethyst frosting sitting on a table in the living room of Yugi's house. Yugi stood in the doorway, shocked for a moment, before rounding on Yami and Sugoroku, who immediately used Honda as a human shield._

"_...I hate you _all_." She hissed._

"_Oh, come on, Game!" Yami grinned at her from behind Honda, who was paling under her glare, "It's your first birthday with me and our friends!"_

"_So it was you." She said, eyes darkening as they fixed on the dark, who simply shrugged and smirked, pointing over at Miho, who shot him a glare._

"_Her idea—I was forced to tell. But," he mused, "I would have done something anyways, you know. You do realize that your supposed to be somewhat _happy_ on the day of your birth."_

_Yugi groaned and turned on her heel, intending to just stalk away and sulk in her room until her birthday and this whole horrible week was over. Jou was already there, grinning at her as he leaned against the door, "Nuh uh, Yug'." He said, "No sulking in your room."_

"_Damnit. Am I really that predictable?"_

"_Yep!" Everyone said cheerfully._

"_Damn you all." She muttered, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. Yami noticed this and grinned at her, coming over. She grasped his hand and he pulled her over to the cake, the others gathering around._

"_Make a wish, Yug'!" Honda said, "Then you get a present from all of us!"_

_Yugi sighed, looked at the cake, then at the door with longing, closed her eyes, leaned forward, and blowed out the candles._

_Everyone grinned at her and pulled out a rectangle-shaped present, with black wrappings and an amethyst bow. She took it warily, before peeling off the paper._

_She stared._

_And stared some more._

_It was a black wooden briefcase-like box, with glass on the top, where you could see what's inside. There was a black leather handle, and golden clasps. It was what was _inside_ that got her attention, though. There was various types of art pencils, acrylic and watercolor paints, watercolor pencils, charcoal, blending sticks, sharpeners, erasers, sandpaper sheets, pastels, and there was even four sets of 8 Ciao Copic Markers, Manga Bundle Kit, that was taped to the bottom._

_She blinked once before raising a hand, using her pointer finger in the universal 'come here' gesture, "All of you. Here. Now." Her friends and grandfather gulped slightly, worried, before shuffling closer to her. Yami, sensing her emotions, smiled and moved closer to her. There was a pause, then she pulled them all into a group hug._

"_...Thank you." She murmured, a large smile on her face. Her friends grinned and hugged her back._

"_No worries, Yug'!" Jou said, backing up._

_...Right into the cake._

_He stopped, blinking, before turning around, peering at his backside. Icing and cake clung to him, and he and the others stared._

_Yugi burst out laughing, closely followed by Yami, and then the rest of them._

"_No one but Jou..." Honda said, grinning at his red-faced friend._

"Not my fault..." Jou muttered, a red tinge painting his cheeks. Honda and Yami smirked at him.

"Of course it wasn't, Jou." Honda said, clapping him on the back. Yami glanced over at the arcade, before poking the other two.

"Look—Is that them?" He said, pointing to the door to the arcade, where a few teens were coming out.

Jou and Honda grinned, "Yeah."

_**~Japan, Domino City, Wednesday~**_

"Here." Yami held out the Air Muscles to Jou, one having a hole in the top of it, as they walked away from the shop, "Sorry about the hole."

"Nah, it's like a medal of honor, man!" Jou said, grinning, taking the shoes and slipping them on his feet, "Thanks!"

_**~Yami no Linebreak!~**_

**A/N:** Arrrrgh... I am so sorry for that abrupt ending, but I have a serious writers block, and I couldn't think of anything! But, I've had most of this in my computer for over a month, and I couldn't keep you guys waiting any longer. I've had this block for a few weeks. I haven't even started on the next chapter of Eternity, but I _have_ wrote the first chapter of a YGO Reversed fic. You know, where Yami is the one who solves the Puzzle, and Yugi is the one trapped? I love those fics. XD But that's about the only thing I've been able to write lately. I can't think of anything for this awesome AU YGO fic, that's set in the HP universe. I have like, three or four alternative first chapters, and but I can't figure out how I want to start it. But I really love the plot. It has got to be one of my greater ideas. :D

Again, so sorry for that ending, and the shortness of this chapter.


End file.
